Dashing Through The Stroke

by WritingSpirit

Rating: everyone
Tags: Sad, Romance, Drama, Original Character, Rainbow Dash, Wonderbolts, Spitfire, Main 6, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 41419

The third and final part to the Rainbow Dash x Taciturn Bleach trilogy. After almost a year as his guardian and marefriend, Rainbow finally decided its time for her and Taciturn to move on. Surely, it would be smooth sailing from here, would it?

The time for a jolly good Hearth's Warming has come yet again, and what better way for Rainbow and Taciturn to celebrate their favorite holiday by going out and have fun?
Of course, Rainbow Dash had her sights set on something more. She had been through every challenge that she been tossed into and now, she thinks she's ready to move on; to continue her life with Taciturn by her side every night. She's ready to be his loving, happy wife.

Surely nothing could go wrong this time.

This story is the third in a series. It is recommended you guys read And He Silently Painted A Rainbow and the second-parter, Black Canvas if you do not want to get lost.

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Art by TheLittleBear

Published 2013-12-23 17:20:03 UTC
Last updated 2014-01-04 18:33:45 UTC

The First From The Cimmerian Sky

One tap.

"I'm awake... yeah I'm... I..."

Two consecutive taps.

"Just five more... five more minutes..."

Five minutes was all she could've asked for, really. If time were a wheel of cheese, she could only afford a sliver of it. Before that, there was this whole chunk on her plate, but it had all been gobbled up; it had all been melted and cooked into a scrumptious dish by the only other pony in the room who probably had done a lot more productive things in one morning than she could do in her entire lifetime.

"Alright, alright, I'm waking up!" declared the ever impatient Rainbow Dash, springing up from her bed with a stretch of her wings and hooves and a languid yawn fleeing from her mouth. She dozily glanced around her (or was it their?) bedroom, lips forming a meek smile once she saw the bright-faced pony in front of her.

"You're up early today, Tassee."

Taciturn Bleach gave a quick, excited nod, wings flapping fervently in place. Being the early bird of the couple, it wasn't surprising for Rainbow to always hear his wake up calls, even if he wasn't talking. At least he had the decency to shake her out of her sleep instead of dumping water on her like Pinkie Pie would.

He was always that quietly mysterious and purely affectionate pony that she knew him as. Despite being dignified as an artist and painter, Taciturn rarely did any work; his profession seemed more like a hobby than some back-breaking task to do. That was how Rainbow knew him as ever since their first encounter at the hospital and even though he was not as adventurous as many of her male pegasi friends, he had that something... a 'something' that made her ever the more fond of him; a 'something' that goes against every challenge they met and holds their love together.

"You fed Tank already?" Rainbow asked.

The white pony gave a simple, fitting nod, followed by a wide, proud smile; a conventional sight for anyone acquainted with Taciturn Bleach, yet a sight for sore eyes indeed. Trust him to feed the tortoise a slice of lettuce, Rainbow said to herself. Then again, she could trust him do anything these days.

"Just don't pamper that little guy," she added with a chuckle, rubbing her eyes.

"You know what happens when your pets get pampered."

The stallion just rolled his eyes with a smirk, before trotting out of their bedroom and leaving Rainbow to get her senses working for the new day. Stretching her wings, the cyan mare zipped from her bed and into the bathroom, wings flapping with every heartbeat of a chest, already excited for the coming hour and, of course, starting off with a quick bath.

A spray of water later, Rainbow snatched a towel and wrapped it around her soaking wet form, ridding of any drops of water from her body and mane. With a grin reflected by the mirror, she brushed the latter to the side, humming a small tune until suddenly, she stopped, face turning a slight gray and eyes fixated on a certain point of her head.

A large scar.

Rainbow Dash shuddered at the sight. She could remember it clearly, the stone cracking into her skull... the lightning flashing overhead... but what scared her most was the terrifying expression of his face. It was the darker side of Taciturn Bleach that most of Equestria, despite knowing him as the household pony of art, had never known about the shocking events surrounding their Hearts & Hooves Day together. It was the one side she hoped to forget soon.

She always blamed herself for it. Never Taciturn, but herself. He seemed too innocent to do such a thing. She knew that in his heart, Taciturn would blame himself as well, yet the presence of the other pony always prevailed in the end, ridding their guilt and guiding their head towards their future together.

It was with this in mind that Rainbow Dash happily pranced out of her room, following the savory smell of an omelette and the sound of it sizzling in a frying pan. Already, her mouth was starting to water, though she chuckled at the sight of the cook, hesitantly dashing a pinch of salt across and just staring at it for a few seconds before resuming flipping the omelette with a wooden spoon clenched in between his teeth.

"Man, I'm starving!" she hollered, grabbing his attention.

"Whatever your cooking there smells good, Tassee!"

Taciturn couldn't agree more. Though cooking wasn't as much of a forte to him as painting was, he had been gradually improving. The best he had cooked was a bowl of spaghetti carbornara; the cheesy, tempting taste of it was still lingering in her mouth, pushing Rainbow to crave for more.

It wasn't long before he shifted the omelette from pan to platter, dicing it up evenly and serving it for the both of them to relish. The first mouth already was ecstasy for the cyan mare, who could only hum in delight with a snippy beat of her wings. That was enough to make Taciturn smile, proud at managing to satisfy her marefriend like the thousand times he did before. Many would've wondered if his talent wasn't only at painting.

"You ready to meet the rest?"

An eager, cheek-bulging nod. Swallowing the last of her food, Rainbow Dash quickly got up to her hooves and trot towards the door, turning back just to see her coltfriend stumbling after her, still hastily chewing his omelette. She smiled to herself: she'll never get enough of his innocent antics, that's for sure.

The two steadily floated lightly down from their cloud house, hooves landing and crunching into the snow. Both ponies wrapped a scarf on their respective necks, Rainbow's being magenta colored and Taciturn's black, before setting off down the path to the cheerful town of Ponyville.

Everypony was certainly in a Hearth's Warming spirit: the moment they stepped into town, they were greeted by various sorts of ponies with bright smiles, all busy finishing the last of the decorations. Rainbow could already imagine it at night: the strings of dazzling lights vibrant enough to rival the stars with enough colors to fill her mane as they hang from each window; the wreaths hung on doors with golden bells tied to it by a red ribbon in a bow, but the biggest of them all is the giant tree standing at the front of town hall, decorated in various assortments of ornaments and lights, with a large golden star perched at the very tip.

Their destination would be a fruitful one. After all, never would there be a bore if one steps into Sugarcube Corner, where the air is rich in the hospitality of the Cake family and the optimism of Pinkie Pie. Like most others, the bakery is covered in a layer of snow, its cake-like structure able to make one believe as if frosting had been varnished upon it. Both pegasi strutted in through the flapping doors, the bell ringing and signaling their arrival.

"My favorite customers!!

Pinkie popped her head up from behind the counter, smiling gleefully at her two visiting friends. Before the couple could even sit down, the pink mare zipped up to their side, already serving them Taciturn's favorite drink: chocolate milkshake, this time with a swirly mound of cream at the tip of it. Eagerly, Taciturn started nipping at the green straw, savoring the sweet concoction as Rainbow looked on, content already from her coltfriend's happiness.

"Mr Cake? she shouted to the kitchen.

"Can I take five?"

"Sure thing, Pinkie!"

"So whatcha two lovebirds doing here?" Pinkie asked gleefully.

"Are you guys in the Hearth's Warming spirit yet?"

"I think we're still working on it," Rainbow admitted.

"Where's the rest? I was sure we could finally go for a real snowball fight for once! Maybe we'll settle the battle between Team Rainbow Dash and Team Pinkie this time! Then there's the sledding, the ice skating and stuff... sheesh, I hope we could get everything done! Think we'll finish it all by today?"

"Of course we can! We could've finished it last year, but somepony was pretty occupied, isn't she?"

Rainbow just scrunched up her face, pouting with red cheeks as her friend laughed louder than a wailing siren. Even though it had already been a year since she and Taciturn were together, she had been teased over and over about her relationship with the colt. On the other hoof, there was also the barrage of ponies asking if they were ready for the next step in their relationship together. After all, they were already sharing a house and they were always seen together around town, being the doting couple they are; it wouldn't surprise her for others to think that way.

Twilight was one of those ponies that asked out of curiosity. Despite saying that she wasn't ready, her friend still recommended being the one to propose, considering Taciturn's nature. What Twilight didn't know was that she had already been thinking about it in the past several months, even going so far as to prepare a hoop she bought from Fillydelphia. However, despite having the confidence to get it, she doesn't have the confidence to marry him.

Rainbow had always wondered what life with Taciturn Bleach would be like. Sure, she was already spending most of her time with him, but to devote her life to becoming his spouse was certainly on an entirely different level. She still held on to her dreams of becoming a Wonderbolt; a job that would propel her straight into fame and publicity, both of which Taciturn and her had bad experiences from.

"Well, I'm not preoccupied now, at least," she told Pinkie.

"Plus, Tassee would get a chance to paint us sledding! Ain't that right, bud?"

Taciturn nodded eagerly, tail wagging like Winona's when her dog bowl is filled with food. After a bunch of chuckles, Rainbow leaned back into her seat, huddling up next to her coltfriend as she glanced around the shop. She had already expected a crowd of ponies here to order their festive treats, though surprisingly only a few visited so far and tended to calmly by Mr Cake at the counter, which was a rather rare sight to see indeed. Must be the morning, she surmised.

"By the way," the cyan mare asked.

"Where's the rest? I thought they'll be early."

"Oh, they'll come soon! They're probably finding presents and putting them under the tree!"

"Of course," Rainbow muttered, smiling to herself. It was a new tradition that the Ponyville Council came up with, in which Twilight disclosed to everyone through an announcement in the town hall. Everypony can buy a present, wrap it up anonymously and place it under the tree. At the very end of Hearth's Warming, all the ponies in town would gather up around the tree and then pick out a random box from the lot, never knowing what would be inside.

"I'll do the present thingy later," she said with a nonchalant wave of her hoof.

"For now, I gotta do something awesome, y'know? I'm craving for an adrenaline rush right now!"

"Well, you've come to the right place!" Pinkie declared.

"If an adrenaline rush is what you want, you'll get one lickety split when Pinkie Pie's in the house! And that's a Pinkie Promise! With courtesy of the Pie family, of course!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Rainbow retorted, sharing wide smiles with Taciturn. With a excited flap of her wings, the cyan pegasus leaped from the chair, hoof clenched with a determined grin.

"Let's get sledding!"

'WOOHOO!!"

The yuletide hill was shredded of snow as Rainbow and Pinkie Pie screamed for dear delight on their sled with hooves flailing in the wind, carving out a snake of a path down the valley. They swerved from side to side, recklessly dodging past small jutting rocks and standing trees, before the sled finally pummeled into a wall of snow, sending both mares flying into the air.

Rainbow was quick to slow herself down with a flap of her wings, though that didn't save her from following Pinkie and pummeling into the snow. The two stared at each other, before bursting out laughing and rolling around the field with hooves clutched onto their stomachs.

"Let's do that again!!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Sure!" the cyan mare agreed.

"Just give me a moment!"

Hastily, Rainbow galloped towards a lone cluster of small trees, beaming at Taciturn staring at his unfinished painting on an easel in deep concentration, paintbrush gripped in his mouth. The rest of her friends were there as well; Twilight, Rarity and Spike were building a snowpony, Applejack was talking to Fluttershy and the Crusaders were throwing snowballs at each other from behind small walls of snow, giggling loudly with glee.

"Hey there, Tassee," she whispered in his ear, hugging from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder. Quite surprisingly, the stallion didn't jump, much less budge at all. Perhaps he's a little too absorbed by his craft, she thought to herself with a chuckle.

"You almost done with the painting yet?"

Taciturn craned his neck around, before smiling and nodding eagerly. There was it again, that warmth blooming in her heart the moment she saw his smile. Rainbow could not count how many times she stopped just to admire it. Perhaps it was the way his eyes sparkle... or it was the way his lips curved. Whatever it was, it may probably be Taciturn's best kept secret.

"I must say, you two always look adorable together," Rarity exclaimed quite suddenly, snapping her friend out from her reverie. Immediately, the mare's face blushed a deep red, pouting once again as her friends giggled underneath their misty breaths. One day, she told herself, she would get used to all this teasing.

"Well, you guys wanna go sledding?" she asked.

"I think I need somepony to chip in my spot. Tassee seems to need a little company."

"Ah'll volunteer!"

Applejack hopped up to her hooves, trotting past Rainbow Dash with a understanding nod. Wearing a grin, Rainbow settled herself next to Fluttershy, eyes fixed at her coltfriend eagerly finishing his creation. She managed to make out her and Pinkie Pie's face adorned in bright smiles, though there was something about it; something jagged that make it seem crystalline in nature.

"He's a very good painter," Fluttershy muttered, following her friend's gaze.

"You love him a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah..."

"Oh, I do wish Big Mac could come," the yellow mare sighed with a chuckle.

"He always wanted a picture of us painted, but he's so busy picking the last batch of apples he couldn't find the time to join us. Applejack told him she wanted to help but... but he said he didn't want to get between our plans and... well, he's such a sweetheart sometimes to the point that I don't know what to do."

"It's alright, Flutters," Rainbow assured.

"I mean, he's bound to finish somehow. After he's done working, I'm sure he'll prepare something special for you tonight. You'll never know what might happen."

"Maybe..."

A small chirp caught both their attention, the sight of Taciturn beckoning them over to the painting. Excitedly, the two pegasi scamper right up next to him, gasping at the marveling sight of what stood on the easel, eyes sparkling in amazement and awe.

It was both Rainbow and Pinkie, zipping down the snowy white hills on a sled with hooves high up in the air. A closer look revealed that the painting was carved out of small polygons, formed out from different shades of colors. The way it was arranged... it was almost as if the painting was coming to life!

The rest of the ponies went up to the painting, chattering excitedly among themselves as they stare at the painting. The proud creator of it sat their proudly, wearing his signature puff-cheeked grin of pride with his paintbrush still clenched within his lips, the tip dripping with paint onto the snow.

"Oh, Tassee..." Rainbow said with a chuckle, hugging him tightly.

"What am I going to do with you?"

Taciturn Bleach just smiled a sweet smile.

Five minutes.

Rainbow Dash would love to flop back into the room, plop her head on the bed and just snore the whole of Equestria away, though she promised Taciturn that she would stay awake, no matter how tired she may be. All she needs to do is to keep her eyes wide open for the next five minutes as they sat at the balcony and gaze at the night sky with just each other. Simple as it sounds.

She had never felt so worn out in her life, having went sledding for almost two hours straight, followed by the most anticipated snowball war that lasted until nightfall. After that, she just laid herself on the couch, almost about to wander off into her dreamland until Taciturn's whimpers woke her up, protesting the fact that she was missing out on what she had planned for them to end the day.

Her glance teetered towards her coltfriend, whose pale face just stared up at the glittering night sky, almost as if waiting for something to happen. It almost seemed as if he was glowing slightly, considering how white he was from mane to hoof, just like the surface of the distant moon.

"You've been expecting this, haven't you bud?" Rainbow said with a chuckle after a minute of silence.

Taciturn nodded with that big smile of his, his black eyes glittering like onyx gemstones. With a tired yet serene sigh, Rainbow rested her head onto his shoulder, humming in his warmth when she felt the feathers of his wings brush against her skin, wrapping around her like a soft blanket. The mare let out a yawn, before following his gaze up into the night sky, her lips pursing into a smile.

"It's beautiful," she muttered.

Another nod.

"You ever wondered...?" she began quietly, not wanting to upset him.

"What would've happened if we've... never met?"

Taciturn just shrugged. Her thoughts exactly.

"Think about it," Rainbow continued with a yawn.

"You might be somewhere in a hospital for the rest of your life, and I'll... well, I'll just be here, y'know. Wondering if there was somepony out there for me that could protect me like you did, that could make me happy like you would... You ever got that feeling?"

The colt just shook his head, his smile still bright as ever. There was it again, that feeling of her heart bursting with warmth the moment she saw that perfect smile of his. If it was a heart attack, Rainbow would've gone through that enough times to cause an earthquake.

"Dashie," he squealed happily, tapping her forehead with the tip of his hoof.

"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't think about it that much," Rainbow professed with a short laugh.

"After all, you're already my coltfriend, not to mention also the most awesomest one I could ever ask for. Why would I bother thinking about that anyway?"

Taciturn purred with satisfaction, making her giggle before they resume their stargazing. Silently, Rainbow had been counting in her head, her wings beating out of impatience as the countdown finally reaches ten, descending slowly, if not languidly, like a feather gliding to the floor. It was a minute before twelve, though with just the one final second, the moment the couple had been waiting for finally came.

"Happy anniversary, Tassee," Rainbow whispered.

Happy anniversary. The anniversary of the day that they first met; that Rainbow was still reluctant and Taciturn was still reticent; that their single meeting triggered a conundrum of events involving them sashaying into each others' lives before finally reaching where they were now.

Taciturn Bleach just closed his eyes, relishing the moment of the passing of their single year together. Rainbow rose up and trotted to his front, resting her forehead onto his own and prompting him to snap open his eyes, the mare grinning when their gazes meet and whispering ever so softly:

"I love you."

Slowly, their lips moved forward of their own accord, before planting against each other. As quick as it was for them to do as such, they were quick to break it, leaving them huffing slightly as they stare deeply once again into the other pony's glistening eyes.

"Dashie..." Taciturn mumbled dreamily.

"Tassee..." was her fond reply.

Another kiss, this time deeper, more surreal. Taciturn stumbled onto his back, dragging Rainbow along with lips still connected. Their breathing slowed, their hearts pumping vigorously just as the mare wrapped her hooves around his back, locking him into her embrace. She didn't want to let go. He didn't want to escape her clutches. It was only the rustling of wings, the small moans and the wrestling of lips that filled the night air. It was only all that they could hear, yet they were still perfect.

One click and their lips parted once again, leaving them panting as Rainbow stared down at him and his bright, reddened face, his cheeks bulging in a grin of pleasure. She just wanted so badly to kiss him once more, yet she decided twice was enough for the night.

"Come on, Tassee," she mumbled, rising off his chest and helping him up.

Something else, however, soon captivated his attention. The sight of something white fluttered down like a wandering dandelion, guided by the smooth breeze and landing right at the tip of Taciturn's snout. Immediately, the colt sneezed out a storm, causing Rainbow to laugh out loud.

"Snow..." she muttered, gazing up the sky once she stopped, the colt doing the same.

"Fine, white snow... the first of Hearth's Warming Eve."

A nod.

"Funny," Rainbow continued, turning to Taciturn.

"It's just been a year, huh?"

Another nod, quicker this time.

"Well then," she said, grinning happily.

"We've done a lot in just a year. I really can't wait for the next one. Just wondering, what do you think we could be doing next year, Tassee?"

Taciturn just shrugged with that smile of his, making her grin. However innocent he may be, Rainbow knew he had optimistic expectations for next year as well. Then again, not everypony could predict what might happen in the future, which only made his silent yet palpable answer ever the more suitable.

Only time will tell.

Second Thoughts

"That'll be eighty bits for this painting."

Another satisfied customer, Rainbow sighed to herself, accepting the said payment for the tall painting that was about the size of a window shutter and watching the pony lift it out the gallery. She would've certainly done more exciting things than to stand at the reception counter of the Gallery of White, which was Taciturn's gallery that the ponies around town had built last Christmas to display and purchase his works. It was a melancholic job to take compared to her actual duty being Ponyville's weatherpony, yet somepony had to look after Taciturn, right?

The bleached stallion was stationed to paint a portrait for a couple once again. Nopony still knew how he did it; with just a glance, he could just snatch his paintbrush, skim it across a canvas and finish up the painting in around ten minutes. This attracted other types of 'visitors' as well: just last month, students from the University of Canterlot paid a visit to do some observations and research about Taciturn's autism, which petrified her with fear, knowing of her coltfriend's agitation around other ponies. They survived the onslaught luckily thanks to a hundred cycles of breathing exercises. Sometimes, it seemed that the world would never get tired of Taciturn Bleach, even though he did not want their attention in the first place.

With a warm smile, Rainbow trotted from the counter and towards her coltfriend just as he placed his brush down, having completed another breathtaking portrait. She stopped to watch the couple shake hooves with the meek colt, whom she knew was trying his best to stifle a grin.

"Be sure to come again!" she said to the duo as she passed by them, giving them a wave. A purr from Taciturn reminded her of where she was going, and in a few moments, their snouts nuzzled against each other, with the colt giving her a small kiss on the cheek.

"Not here, buddy," she said, caressing his neck and surprising herself with her nonchalance. She blamed their routine of public displays of affection.

"Remember, we've still got work to do."

Taciturn nodded excitedly, though a glance over her shoulder made his smile grow wider, his wings ecstatically flapping about; the reason of which Rainbow realized when she turned around and spotted another couple stepping through the doors of the gallery and unknowingly heading towards them.

"Fluttershy! Big Mac!" she called out their names, waving her hooves happily in the air.

"Over here, guys!"

"Rainbow! Oh, uh... Macintosh and I were just looking for the two of you."

"Eeyup."

"Well, you came to the right place," Rainbow stated proudly, Taciturn nodding in agreement.

"So, what brings you guys here? You guys finally decided to get your portrait painted?"

"Oh, um...yes..." Fluttershy began.

"If that's okay with you, of course..."

"Course it's okay! Now, just sit there for a moment or two..."

It wasn't long before Fluttershy found herself comfortably seated on a couch that would've been comparable to Rarity's long chair, her mane slowly being brushed by Rainbow herself, much to her surprise. Big Mac humbly stood at the side, looking at the various artwork hanging on the walls and waiting patiently for the two mares and Taciturn himself, who was busy mixing a few colors on his wooden palette.

"Um..." the yellow pegasus spoke suddenly.

"Uh... Rainbow?"

"Yeah, Flutters?"

"Oh, nothing really..." she muttered.

"It's just... I didn't know you were good at brushing a mane..."

"I guess I didn't as well," Rainbow admitted with a chuckle.

"Tassee just wants everypony to look their best in their painting, that's all, so somepony's gotta help him make sure of it, right? In fact, I think I'm getting the hang of this..."

"That's very sweet of you."

"No biggie, y'know. Tassee's my coltfriend, after all."

Fluttershy nodded warmly, prompting Rainbow to smile in return. It was one of the moments where she realized she would do any damn thing for Taciturn, however mundane it may be. Not all of them would be easy -- she had to visit Rarity a hundred times to perfect her brushing -- yet she knows it will be all worth it if she spots Taciturn's smile once again.

"So, how was yesterday?" Rainbow had to ask.

"Did Mac prepare anything special?"

"Oh, it was nothing big, really..." Fluttershy mumbled, though a nudge from her friend pressed her to go on.

"He just brought me out to dinner and after that, we just sat by the meadow and talked... then, well," she started to blush, "he played our favorite song and... and he sang to me while we danced and danced and... oh, he's such a big, big sweetheart..."

"See what I mean?" Rainbow said.

"Told ya he'll do something special."

"Dashie!"

"Alright, Tassee's ready for you guys!" the cyan mare exclaimed, gesturing the two towards the couch.

"Now, just stay perfectly still for around three minutes or so, then you guys are done! And don't worry about it! He'll remember your position in ten seconds flat if he has to! Right, buddy?"

An enthusiastic nod.

Once again, Taciturn Bleach began to do his work, stroke by meticulous yet swift stroke on the canvas with a peachy grin on his face. Rainbow just stood beside him, chuckling quietly at his devoted passion to his emerging creation. One would think that from the intense strokes of paint on the canvas, he would've broken a few paintbrushes or more, though it was quite the opposite.

The fact that he still used the same paintbrush that she gave him when they first met was a memory both nostalgic and tangible. Rainbow would see him at work every day with that one paintbrush, its handle gilded and ornate in an alabaster white and bristles still thin and elegantly straight; a memento that perfectly symbolizes their intimacy.

"So um..." Fluttershy began.

"Have you and Tassee planned anything for Hearth's Warming?"

"Oh, just the usual."

The painter suddenly let out a dissatisfied grunt, prompting her to sigh.

"Alright, we did plan something together," Rainbow confessed gruffly.

"It's nothing big, but it'll be something awesome, that's for sure."

"Oh, I hope you guys would have fun."

"You bet we would! Right, Tassee?"

Taciturn gave an absent-minded nod, being too absorbed in his painting to bother. The two mares could only giggle at that, before a 'ding' from the counter caught Rainbow's attention, prompting her to gallop back to her post like a soldier late for duty. Perhaps it was the decorations she had promised Taciturn she would order and adorn the gallery with; it does give the Hearth's Warming spirit, after all.

"Welcome to the White Gallery," she exclaimed happily.

"Home to the works of Tasse-- uh... Taciturn Bleach! Yes! Can I help yoouuuuuuu~--?"

This must be a dream! No, this certainly has to be a dream! There's no way that the pony before her would step into those double doors! Rainbow had to rub her eyes four times to make sure... no that wasn't enough. Somepony must smack her! Right now!

"Y-You!" she managed to squeak.

"You are h-here..."

"Private-- I-I mean, Rainbow Dash! Didn't expect you here, of all places!"

"C-Commander," Rainbow stopped to gulp, sweating profusely. Immediately, her hooves jolted up into a stiff salute, her brows creasing, lips straightening and her jaw clenched hard.

"Commander Spitfire!"

"Not here, Rainbow Dash!" the Wonderbolt captain hissed, yanking the mare towards her.

"You're not in the academy, Rainbow. When we're outside, I shall know you as Rainbow Dash and you shall know me as Spitfire. None of those military formalities. Got that?"

"Yes ma'am! I-I mean, got it, Spitfire!"

"Good. Now what brings you here, Rainbow?" she asked.

"Not that I'm judging or anything, but you don't seem like the type to admire paintings."

"Oh, about that..." Rainbow began with a wavering chuckle.

"Well, you see..."

Slowly, the cyan pegasus explained everything about her and Taciturn, from how they've met to their situation now, leaving only the incident in Fillydelphia out of her story. As she did so, Spitfire nodded and pondered over the rookie's words, peering over a few times to see the bleached colt himself busy finishing the painting. Rainbow tried to hold her grin up after she stopped, watching as her captain's eyes drift throughout the gallery inquisitively, narrowing even more so once they landed on her coltfriend.

"Interesting..." she muttered.

"So, Taciturn Bleach is your coltfriend, huh? Quite surprising, really, but I don't have my say in that, of course. Love just happens, after all."

"Heh, I guess..." Rainbow said, scratching her mane.

"So, what brings you down here? Where's the rest of the team?"

"Oh, they're just lounging about Ponyville. We're taking an extended break until the final Hearth's Warming show in Canterlot. For the show, we need some sort of... what did he call it... celebratory banner, so when I heard of this gallery a few months ago from Soarin', I thought since we're stopping by, I should inquire about Taciturn for painting a banner for the show."

"You want Tassee to be the painter?"

"Erh... yeah."

"You want Tassee to be the painter of the Wonderbolts?!" Rainbow exclaimed even louder.

"Ohmigosh, this is gonna be great! Taciturn Bleach, my coltfriend, will become the official painter of the banner for the Wonderbolts' Hearth's Warming show! I can't wait to tell--"

"Whoa there, Rainbow." Spitfire stopped her with a hoof to her muzzle.

"I didn't say that he would be. We'll have to see if he fits the bill first."

"Oh, don't worry, Spits! I'm sure he'll be perfect!"

"Maybe..." the golden mare muttered skeptically.

"But judging from some of the paintings, I'd say he really has the knack of painting. There's certainly something special about that colt."

Rainbow just grinned. You have no idea.

"So when do you wanna see him?" she asked, already anticipating the moment to arrive. Spitfire turned to her after a moment of deep thought, before smiling confidently.

"The sooner, the better."

"And you really think he wouldn't mind?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't!" Rainbow exclaimed happily.

"I mean, he's painting for the Wonderbolts, Twi! The Wonderbolts!! Ohmigosh, ohmigosh, ohmigosh, somepony pinch me because I think I'm dreaming and-- Ow!!"

"What?" came the voice of Pinkie Pie as she skipped back into the kitchen.

"You asked for it!"

"Okay.... anyways," Twilight began, glancing between Rainbow and Taciturn, the latter's attention more focused on the pink-frosted cupcake sitting quietly on the table. The couple were in Sugarcube Corner to let Taciturn have his favorite chocolate milkshake from his favorite baker in probably the entirety of Equestria. It just so happens that Twilight was there as well, reading a book while busy eating a few cupcakes.

"I know it will be a good thing and all for him to paint for the Wonderbolts, but you must think of the attention he might be getting. Did you forget what happened to the both of you last year after you painted Pinkie's portrait on the ice, Rainbow?"

"I sure didn't!!" Pinkie screeched from the kitchen, much to their annoyance.

"It was the best! Painting! EVER!!!"

"I know, Twilight..." Rainbow said with a sigh.

"It's just... I'm a little excited to have Tassee represent the Wonderbolts, y'know?"

"Well, he's just doing something small like painting a banner, Rainbow. He's not doing something major like opening the show or anything, is he? Even if he was, you know how he'll freak out before the show even started, right? You're his guardian, after all."

"Yeah, I guess... but it's worth a shot. If he has to do the opener with the banner, then I'll do it instead. For now, all he has to do is to demonstrate to Spitfire how awesome he is!"

"Here ya go, Tassee!" Pinkie said, serving from a tray her signature double chocolate milkshake. Immediately, Taciturn gave a wide, open smile with a gasp, his large wings flapping happily before his hooves gripped onto the plastic cup, already eagerly sipping on the straw.

"He likes it! As always~!"

"Well, he's not a picky one, that's for sure," Rainbow stated, rubbing the colt's mane.

"Tassee just loves what you give him! Ain't that right, buddy?"

Another jubilant nod from Taciturn left the three mares chuckling, with Pinkie dragging him back to the kitchen once again to teach him a little about baking blueberry pies and such. Rainbow just sighed, watching her coltfriend traipsing through those flapping doors, already eager to learn from the best.

"So, did you think about it?" Twilight asked suddenly.

"Think about what?"

"You bought a hoop already, didn't you?" the unicorn questioned, much to her surprise.

"Knew it. I told myself that you would do it anytime now."

"I'm not sure about it, Twi..." Rainbow professed with a sigh.

"To be honest, I'm not ready to... y'know, marry him and all... yeah, I've been thinking about it a few times, but that doesn't mean I'll actually do it or anything, right?"

"But you'll do it, won't you?"

"Sooner or later. But not now..."

Rainbow Dash bit her lip. Every time the subject of a possible marriage comes up, she'll shy away from the topic. She knows that Twilight isn't the only one among her friends who were wishing for them to get married already; surely the rest harbors that secret desire as well. Yet, there were many, many things she had to think about.

One was her possible future dream of becoming a Wonderbolt. Sure, she could still get in without a sweat but what would happen to Taciturn? Who would take care of him when she's gone to the air shows in Cloudsdale or performing all the way up in Canterlot? What about the attention that he would get, having married to a Wonderbolt? A painter husband and an elite flying wife... it would be an awkward household. At least she can still think about that after the marriage ceremony and whatnot.

Another was the thought of bearing a child. It was a secret temptation Rainbow had longed for, yet Taciturn's personality does not help. Even if they could pass through that hurdle, there'll be other complications; how would their child react when they know that their father's an autistic savant and reclusive in nature?

"I'll need some time to brace myself for it," Rainbow answered.

"Plus, not everypony agrees to my marriage."

"What do you mean, Rainbow?" Twilight asked, flabbergasted.

"The rest of us think that you and Taciturn are perfect for each other! The whole town knows how much you love him, so it's not surprising to think that they believe you guys could be together. The Princesses -- all three of them -- think so as well. I've talked to your dad about it and he thinks it's fine! Who else would think--"

That's when Twilight realized it; the one pony that wouldn't see it through.

"Oh..." she said, still stunned by her revelation.

"I... well, you can talk to her about it, right?"

"She wouldn't care, Twilight," Rainbow affirmed.

"I mean, she hasn't cared for so long now. Without her consent..."

"You'll have to talk to her, Rainbow. Who knows? Maybe she'll listen to you this time."

"She only listens to a few ponies."

"Well, is there, by any chance, that one of those ponies are around here somewhere?"

"There is one..." Rainbow mused thoughtfully.

"In fact, she'll be coming back to the gallery tomorrow to see if Taciturn can paint the banner. Then again, she might be a little busy with the air shows or something..."

"You'll never know until you try, Rainbow," Twilight said with an assuring hoof on her friend's shoulder.

"If you think Spitfire can pave the way for you and Tassee to get married, then it's worth a shot. She might be your captain, Rainbow Dash, but she's still a pony who knows how to help a friend in need. You need her help, that I'm sure of. If it doesn't work and she can't find the time... we could find some other way."

"I guess..." the pegasus muttered hopefully, stifling a grin. She never considered Spitfire, current leader of the Wonderbolts and hard-headed commanding officer of her team's academy, to be the one mare that could spark the marriage between her and Taciturn. All it takes is a little private talk to her tomorrow, perhaps after Taciturn successfully gets the role. She's certain he could do it!

The flapping doors parted once again as Pinkie hopped in happily, followed by a cheerful Taciturn carrying a tray of small pies with his mouth. Meekly, he placed it onto the table, before plopping back onto the seat next to Rainbow and staring at the three mares in the room, much to their amusement.

"Wow..." Rainbow gasped, eyes sparkling at the mini pastries.

"Did Tassee make all of this?"

"You bet he did!" Pinkie squeaked.

"He even stuffed the stuffing stuff in! He really knows his stuff!"

All of them laughed at the bad joke, with Rainbow leaning against Taciturn, her hoof placed above his. She knows, deep in her heart that Taciturn would do a great job tomorrow. Perhaps Spitfire would commend him on doing an excellent job and such and maybe he'll nail the job of representing Ponyville in the Wonderbolt team! Sure, he may not exactly be on a team, yet when the whole of Equestria knew of Taciturn's creation being displayed in the Hearth's Warming air show... she'd better resume on those breathing exercises with him again.

Spitfire would be there... Twilight was right. She might be a weak link to the last 'yes' that could see their marriage through, yet she is still a link nevertheless. With a sigh, Rainbow just smiled as Pinkie cracks another joke, forcing out a laugh while she focuses on the thoughts swirling in her mind.

"Dashie?" Taciturn said suddenly, cocking his head with concern.

"Oh it's nothing, bud," she replied, stifling a grin.

"Nothing at all..."

Third Time Lucky

"Just a little more... hold still, buddy..."

Taciturn Bleach was getting restless, his tail already swinging left to right like a sizzling pancake being flipped by a spatula in a skillet, his black eyes staring impatiently up at his marefriend combing his mane carefully, wanting him to look his best. He never saw it as unfair that Rainbow could do it to him and he couldn't to her, though he sometimes wondered why it had to take such a long time!

Rainbow Dash, on the other hand, was humming quietly, the comb in her hoof gently drifting across the colt's white mane. She was excited as well, to finally have Taciturn represent her favorite team of all time... she could barely sleep last night! She could imagine the looks of awe on their faces when Taciturn finishes the banner, along with the sounds of an applause that might come after... Taciturn would get the role for sure!

"Alright, alright, I'm done!" she declared with a chuckle, her face having swept by the colt's white tail.

"There! Don't you look nice?"

Taciturn just snorted, making her giggle. He understood that it was something big, judging from the way her hooves fling about when she described what he's supposed to do, but to have him in a black suit seemed a little too much. Quietly, he whimpered his protests, huddling right next to Rainbow.

"I'm sorry, alright?" the mare said, wrapping a hoof around him.

"It's just... today's kinda like a big day for both you and me. I just want you to look your best, that's all."

They were in the gallery earlier than usual, the sight of it empty being new to the couple. There was a sense of loneliness, even as each painting depicted the world in a more optimistic light, from simple things like ponies smiling to more abstract, colorful wonders. Nevertheless, they were ready for the coming challenge, which starts at the ring of the doorbell.

Rainbow could hear Taciturn's shivering breath, prompting him to pat his back with a stroke down his wings. She knew he was going to have to do this alone without her help at all; she too would be frightened if she had to do something super important without any help.

"It's okay, buddy," she whispered.

"I'll still be there for you, alright?"

A loud *ding* signaled the arrival of their expected guests, with Rainbow unable to hold her gasp as she saw a dazzling four of the Wonderbolts step in, their manes whipping in the winter wind. They were not wearing their signature bodysuits, though she could already name all of them in a single go: Fleetfoot, Fire Streak, Soarin' and of course, Spitfire herself.

"Hey there, Rainbow," the captain said with a grin.

"You guys up for the challenge?"

"Ready as we'll ever be," Rainbow said determinedly, Taciturn nodding cheerfully along.

"So, are all of you gonna be the judges for the banner?"

"Pretty much, yeah, though some of us are a little bit late."

"There's still more of you?"

"Our superiors," Spitfire answered, to which she only received a blank stare.

"Basically, they're the ponies that pretty much oversee all of our shows and make sure they were top notch. They're here to see if Taciturn's work can actually fit the routine we had for the show. Some of them were ex-Wonderbolts, so you're gonna see some old school ponies here."

"Really?" Rainbow asked, gasping in amazement.

"You hear that, Tassee? This is going to be amazing~!"

"Just be prepared," Soarin' added.

"They can be pretty strict, especially when it comes to little things such as this."

Another *ding* from the door caught all of their attention, as a trio of ponies marched in, their faces instantly recognizable from Rainbow's point of view. The first was Thunder Storm, father of Thunderlane and Rumble and notable for being called the 'Hurricane of Cloudsdale'. Like his oldest son, he had a black coat, though his mane and tail was a streaking yellow, fizzing out like sparks all around.

On the other end was Cirrus Cloud, whom Rainbow knew as the mother of twin sisters Cloudchaser and Flitter. She had a pale purplish blue coat, her snow-like mane similar to Flitter's. Both her and Thunder Storm's family were close, what with the sisters being Rumble's foalsitters and Cloudchaser being Thunderlane's marefriend. If the latter two were to ever settle down together, they would make a true Wonderbolt family, Rainbow thought to herself with a smirk.

The one in the center, however, was the one she could not imagine to even show her face here. She had a streaking blue mane tied up into a whip-like ponytail and light pink coat, yet however innocent she looked, she was one of the more hardened Wonderbolts. The moment she took off her sunglasses, she immediately stared at Taciturn, who could only whimper from her sight, hiding behind his marefriend.

Rainbow knew her as many things: ex-Wonderbolt elite flier and captain, setter of many of the records with some still not beaten, inventor of over eighteen signature moves, current, long-time mentor of the two leading Wonderbolts in the team, Spitfire and Soarin' and of course, her few signature nicknames, like the 'Amaranth Devil' and the 'Fuchsia of the Wind'. though there was one title she held that made the cyan mare fear her the most.

Her mother.

"Well, this is the one, Firefly," Spitfire said her mentor's name aloud.

"That's our painter, Taciturn Bleach. I'm sure you've heard of him, ma'am?"

"Of course I did," Firefly replied huskily, her glance jumping towards Rainbow, who immediately looked away.

"You know the drill, Spits. I'm expecting the best."

The sound of the chattering Wonderbolts soon started, leaving Rainbow and Taciturn sitting alone at the side for now. The latter suddenly let out a mewl, his complexion noticeably paling despite its bleached color. Quietly, Rainbow could only hush him, putting her hooves firmly on his shoulders.

"Listen, Tassee," she said in a lowered voice.

"These ponies have no idea what you're capable of, even if they think they do. Whatever they ask you to paint, you should try and do your best to impress them. Blow them away with your talent! Now, who's my favorite painter in the whole wide world?"

"... Dashie?"

"No, silly," she chuckled, nuzzling his snout.

"It's you, buddy, and it'll always be you."

Taciturn stifled a grin at that, though there wasn't enough time for her to give another pep talk. Immediately after Rainbow stepped back, Spitfire strutted out from the group, trying to put up her best smile to the colt, though he only cocked his head, his eyes sparkling out of confusion.

"Hey there," the captain said in a sweet voice; unlike anything Rainbow had ever heard before.

"You ready to paint something today?"

An eager nod.

"Alright then!" she exclaimed happily.

"Now, all you gotta do is paint on the banner what the Wonderbolts are to you. Got that?"

Another nod.

Spitfire's grin widened immediately as Taciturn got to work, the rest watching the bleached colt thinking for a minute, before starting his work. It was a dance of strokes and paint, the banner being slathered one by one. It was precise as it was quick, with every dot and dash exactly where he had imagined it to be. The picture was already, in his mind, projected upon the banner; all he needed to do was fill in the blanks.

It was almost effortless, really, the way he did it. In only ten minutes, Taciturn finally placed down in paintbrush, his eyes glued absentmindedly onto the banner as Rainbow and the rest approached him, their eyes sparkling over what they saw. There were the Wonderbolts alright, their faces lit up in a shade of glory with their official logos painted at each end of the cloth. Rainbow smiled to herself at the sight.

"You really outdone yourself, buddy."

"Wow..."

"Wow indeed," Soarin' said, following his captain's words.

"Look at all the detail, and in under ten minutes!"

"Ten minutes..." Cirrus Cloud muttered.

"That is certainly unbelievable. This banner could work, right?"

"I think it could," Spitfire said, pondering.

"Picture it: the entire team doing a whole series of flight routines, then at the very end, one of us comes in with a banner in their hooves... the sight of all of us on that banner... I think this might be it!"

"No."

All eyes turned to the sole opposer, her pink face slightly grim. With a sigh, Firefly marched towards Taciturn and Rainbow, raising an eyebrow when she saw her daughter holding him close as he started to shirk into her hooves, before glancing back at the group.

"Being a Wonderbolt is not only about glory and fame," she declared.

"The fact that the banner only showed this is complete nonsense! What would other pegasi think when they see a banner having all of you standing there in the glory of Celestia's sun? I want trained professionals! I want true athletes! I don't want ponies to simply sign up just for the fun of it, Spits. Neither do you."

"But Mom--!"

"Not a word, Rainbow," she hissed venomously.

"If that's what he believes the Wonderbolts to be like, you can have the privilege of telling him it's wrong. He may have the skills of an artist, but with a creation like this, how is he any different from a liar?"

"Maybe he needs another chance!" Spitfire suggested before Rainbow could shout her protests.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind, right? It's just another ten minutes, that's all!"

A tense silence fell upon the room, broken only when Firefly let out a gruff sigh, crossing her hooves and flashing a reluctant nod. Spitfire herself let out her own quiet sigh of relief, before turning to Rainbow and stifling a smile at the cyan mare, who could only glance back at Taciturn.

The poor colt was sniffling now, not wanting to let the rest hear his cries. With a gentle hoof around his shoulder, Rainbow hushed him, trying her best to comfort him. She could not believe it, the nerve of her mother to mock Taciturn just like that. So what if he interpreted it wrong? It was for a parade, not a training exercise! Spitfire did say paint anything about the Wonderbolts, didn't she? If her mother wants the banner to be specific, then she could just say it out already!

"Hey, look at me, look at me," Rainbow whispered.

"She's just... a little picky about things, alright? Don't let whatever she said get to you, Tassee. After all, you're the only one among us that knows how to paint. If she says anything else, just brush it off, okay?"

A despondent nod was his only reply. Without further ado, the cyan mare lift her coltfriend's face up to hers, wiping away a small tear crawling down his cheek.

"You can do it, Tassee," she finished with a grin.

"I believe in you."

"Three times, Spitfire! Three times!!"

"I get it, Rainbow. Now, just calm down and think for a sec--"

"Calm down? How do you expect me to calm down?! She doesn't have the right to... to..."

With a snarl, Rainbow Dash slammed a hoof onto the table of the cafe, prompting others around them to look for a second, before resuming their duties. Spitfire sighed, instead just sipping on her tea, her glance waning towards the third pony in the group.

Tactiurn Bleach just stared blankly at his mug of hot chocolate, body still shivering not from the winter cold, but from the experience he lived through back at the gallery. Neither mares could imagine the turmoil churning in his head right now, knowing the fragility of his spirit. Quietly, Rainbow held his hoof, beckoning to take a sip from his drink, which he did finally did so, albeit hesitantly.

"Look," Spitfire began.

"You, of all ponies, know how your mother can be extra harsh to others sometimes. This time is no different. The fact that Tassee managed to satisfy her with that last banner kinda surprised me, I guess."

"They were all perfect..."

"Truth be told, that's what I think as well," the captain admitted.

"It's just... Firefly had an inkling that the rest of us couldn't see. If it's bad to her, even if you tried to fight back, you know you wouldn't change her mind."

Rainbow grumbled, crossing her hooves. That was the one trait she inherited from her mother, she surmised. She was lucky that Spitfire was there: after everything that happened at the gallery, Rainbow just grabbed Taciturn and left off in a huff. Only her captain chased after her, apologizing in place of her mother and offering them a place to talk, leading to where they were now.

"She just doesn't listen, does she?" the mare complained.

"I still can't believe she said those words to Taciturn..."

"She has her... way of rectifying things."

"What?" Rainbow questioned, slightly outraged.

"By calling him a liar? An over-pampered foal?"

"She called me a fillyfooler once," Spitfire said, surprising the other mare.

"I have no idea how many names she had called us already. Still doing it, actually. Like that time Soarin' messed up a routine, your mother just went up to him and called him nasty things. When he tried to talk, she just screamed at him in front of the rest of us to go home and come back once his head was clear."

"Wow... and you guys just took it?"

"We had to. Otherwise, we would be kicked off the team for sure. Your mother expects the best of the best to be on the team. The moment we shout at our superior is the moment our flanks would be bucked out of the door by her own two hooves. There's no point in that, is there?"

Rainbow just sighed, leaving the captain to continue:

"It's a form of discipline we were introduced to and however harsh it may be, we can't let it get to us. Firefly was, after all, once in my position as the captain of the entire team. Equestria was much harsher back in the day, so you can't blame her."

"Rainbow?"

The voice prompted all three pegasi to turn around, watching as Twilight trotted up to them, a little perplexed at the sight bestowed upon her. Immediately, Rainbow patched up a smile, giving her purple friend a wave.

"Hey there, Twilight," the pegasus said happily.

"Did Spike manage to get your head out of the books?"

"You think?" she scowled, slightly disgruntled.

"He said you needed some help. What is it about?"

"I just need you to take care of Tassee for me."

"Dashie?" the bleached colt turned to his marefriend, bewildered by what she just said. Spitfire wore the same expression as well, though she kept silent, unsure of the conspiring events. It took a minute before Twilight's eyes lighted up in realization, her own lips curving into a knowing grin.

"Aha..." she muttered cheekily.

"Well then, Tassee! It's been a while since we've spent time together, don't you think. There's something I've been waiting to show you about paintings that I've read in a book! Wanna find out?"

Taciturn just whined out of protest, prompting a giggle from all three mares. With a sigh, Rainbow trotted towards the colt, whose ears are starting to droop, his head lowering. She planted both of her hooves onto his cheeks, lifting his head up to meet her smile.

"It'll only take a minute, Tassee," she said, rubbing his cheek.

"I promise Twilight will take very good care of you. Okay?"

A reluctant nod.

"That was pretty sudden," Spitfire commented as Rainbow waved to her coltfriend, who just stared back longingly at her while meekly following Twilight to the library. The cyan mare soon turned back to her captain, who just stared at her after a moment of thought. There can only be one reason Rainbow would send Taciturn away like that, she thought to herself. Wouldn't hurt to guess, right?

"You have something to tell me?"

"Yes."

"Something involving you and Taciturn?"

"Yep."

"Something that you don't want him to hear?"

"Bingo."

"Well, I'm all ears," Spitfire declared.

"Go on, then. Shoot."

"I was thinking of proposing. You know... marrying him...?"

That was certainly what the Wonderbolt didn't expect to hear. Immediately, she rose from her seat, intrigued by this new discovery. At this point, Rainbow was already blushing, her cheeks reddening slowly like a ripening tomato, her wings flapping uncomfortably and her teeth sinking into her lips.

"This is something new," Spitfire said, grinning mischievously.

"How long had you been planning to do this?"

"Since the last Hearts and Hooves Day," she confessed.

"He's just... somepony I really enjoy being around with, y'know? He saved my life a few times from danger even though he knows it'll risk his own. Being his marefriend, I just want something more for him. For us."

"You know if you become his wife, there might be a chance you can't become a Wonderbolt anymore, right?"

"That's one thing I was thinking about. What am I going to do, just sweep the house, wash the windows and take care of some little colts and fillies? I don't know if that is what I want to do for the rest of my life, Spits; I still want to do some stunts and perform in aerial shows and stuff. If Tassee doesn't mind me leaving his side for a bit to travel the world with you guys, then it's okay but, knowing him..."

"Save that for later, Rainbow," Spitfire advised. putting a hoof onto the other mare's shoulder.

"Just wondering. What's this gotta do with me?"

"There's a problem," Rainbow phrased it, almost as if it was easy to tackle.

"You see, in order for me to marry Tassee, I have to make sure nopony objects to the wedding or whatever. Basically, that would include the ponies in town, my friends and of course, my family. Honestly speaking, everyone in Ponyville is expecting me to marry him already, so that leaves only my family. Knowing my father, he would say yes, which singles out one more pony."

"Oh..."

Spitfire stopped to think for a moment, before concluding:

"So you want me to convince Firefly to let you guys get married?"

"Yeah..."

"Rainbow," the Wonderbolt stopped to sigh.

"I really want to help, I do, but Firefly... your mother... she's a hard mare to talk to already when it comes to our aerial stunts. Could you imagine what would happen if we talked about more conventional things that she couldn't care less about? You and I both know that wouldn't end well."

"But she listens to you, Spits," Rainbow protested.

"You might be able to do it if you tried."

"Then why didn't you?" the Wonderbolt questioned.

"You are her daughter, her own flesh and blood! Why won't you try it?"

"It's a long story, alright?"

Rainbow sighed, sinking back into her chair. She couldn't remember the last time she and her mother talked in good terms. They rarely meet each other these days, what with her mother at Cloudsdale all the time. Her father was usually the middle pony that tried to bring them back together during the rare times where they've actually met, to no avail.

"We had an argument," she explained.

"Things got bad until we didn't want to speak to each other anymore."

"Fine, if that's the way things are..."

Spitfire held her breath, closing her eyes. This was going to be the worst decision she would make. She didn't want her fellow friend to be all miserable and such over a little problem like talking to her mother. If it was anypony else aside from Firefly, she could nail it hundred percent. Sadly, that was not the case.

"I'll try my best," she said, much to Rainbow's delight.

"But don't get your hopes up."

"Right."

"In return," Spitfire muttered with a smirk. Rainbow played her card; now it was her turn.

"Once you get married and Tassee doesn't mind you being a Wonderbolt, come straight to the Academy at eight sharp. I want to see you do two hundred push-ups with your wings and a hundred suicides after. Got that, rookie?"

Rainbow felt her heart leap out of shock. Two hundred push-ups and a hundred suicides in exchange? At eight in the morning? She could barely open her eyes then! How would she even fly to the Academy from her home if she couldn't even see what's in front of her face?

The mare could only sigh: she pretty much begged Spitfire to do something beyond the extent of ponykind. It would only be fair if she did the same in return. After all -- she smiled to herself -- it would be a worthy challenge to prove herself as the awesomest and bestest pegasus in Ponyville. Again.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Author's Note

Woot! Day three is here, guys!
Hope it was worth waiting a year so far!

A Fourth Of Cold Blueberry Pie

"Mom, if you would just listen--"

"Enough with your nonsense, Rainbow. I don't care what you said you did. What matters is that you did it."

"It was an accident!"

"Does that change anything? Tell me, Rainbow, does that change anything?"

"I thought you would understand! I thought you would listen!"

"Listen to what?! To your sorry little excuses?! Why don't you admit the fact that you made that mistake?! That you were wrong and I was right?!"

"You want me, your own daughter, to lie?! Is that it?!"

"YOU'RE ALREADY LYING TO YOURSELF!!"

"T-Tassee?"

Rainbow Dash poked her head from beneath a blanket like a mole, groaning as she rubbed her tired, half-opened eyes, holding back a yawn. She glanced around with one hoof stroking down the sticking hairs of her mane, searching for the only other pony in her house. He couldn't have gone far, she told herself, climbing off the bed. He was probably feeding Tank some lettuce or making breakfast or something like that.

Trotting out of the room, she soon spotted him on the couch, smiling as she approached him. It was only when she saw his sulking face that she realized something was wrong. His eyes were slightly red, with tears dripping from each gentle trembling of his sniffles. Tank was right beside him, staring up at the colt with a look of concern for the past hour now with no way of comforting him.

"Wh-What's wrong?" Rainbow asked frantically.

"What happened?"

"D-Dashie..."

"What is it? You can tell me, Tassee. I'm your guardian, remember?"

Taciturn opened his mouth, but shook his head at the last second, much to her displeasure. With a small hush, Rainbow just wrapped a hoof around him, biting her lip with each shivery pant he lets out. She couldn't understand: what could be so horrible that pushed the colt to his limit this early in the morning? Perplexed, she turned to Tank, who just shook his head, unsure of what it was either.

"You don't have to tell me now," she whispered.

"But I have to know what it is soon. We gotta work it out together, alright?"

A hesitant nod.

The rest of the morning proved to be uneventful. Taciturn had cooked up a good, scrumptious breakfast; Rainbow could see it from a blueberry pie sitting on the table, evenly sliced into quarters with its aroma tingling her taste buds. It wasn't long before the couple finally decided to dig in, the mare quickly dicing it up and licking her lips.

A couple of pieces later, she noticed Taciturn's doleful expression, his knife still sawing down the piece of pie on his plate. Despite still munching on her breakfast, she tried her best to flash him a cheek-bulging smile, though that proved fruitless. It was only when she finished licking the last of the crumbs around her mouth that she spoke:

"That was the scrumptious, most awesomest pie ever! Did you bake it yourself, Tassee?"

Silence.

"I think Pinkie helped you out before I woke up, right?" she teased, before chuckling.

"Just kidding, buddy. I knew it was your work the moment I tasted it!"

Again, no response.

"H-Hey," Rainbow tried again, gesturing to his half-sawed piece of pie.

"You gonna eat that? It's gonna get cold, y'know."

Nothing.

This isn't going to get anywhere, she concluded to herself. Taciturn was hiding something and whatever that something was, she was certainly out of its picture. She would find out sooner or later; she was his marefriend, after all. Maybe he needs some time to cool off, Rainbow surmised.

"I'm gonna go visit some of my friends, alright?" she called out to him, snatching her scarf from the rack.

"It'll take a while or two. In a meantime, why don't you find something to do, like hanging out with Tank or painting something for the gallery? I promise I'll be back soon, okay?"

No response.

Receiving the silent treatment from Taciturn was certainly unwelcoming, especially when Rainbow considered the length of them being together. It was as if she had done something wrong, though she had no idea what it was. Could it be that Tassee hated her for dumping him into painting for the Wonderbolts and get scorned and mocked at by her mother? She never meant for it to happen and Taciturn knew that... did he?

"Maybe I should apologize," she muttered, already landing on the ground. She turned around, though immediately she just turned back, facing Ponyville once again. He needs a little time, she told herself. Apologizing to him right now isn't going to make a difference, knowing how reclusive he is.

Once again, Rainbow marched forward towards Ponyville, alone on her quick journey for the first time since she met Taciturn. The last time she remembered trotting down the road without anypony keeping her company was last year, when she rushed to find Scootaloo to get into a snowball fight, only to wound up doing a favor for Fluttershy and letting fate entwine both her and Taciturn's lives.

Nowadays, it became a custom for Rainbow and Taciturn to walk down the path together, knowing the colt to be the one that was stuck to her like glue. For him to break the custom was pretty unlikely, if not strange, leading her to wonder what could've thrown him into such deep despair that made him ostracize her, of all ponies. What could've happened in the morning when she was asleep?

"Tassee, Tassee..." Rainbow muttered despondently, shaking her head.

"What have I done wrong...?"

"Ya sure it ain't just him wakin' up with a bad temper?"

"I don't know..." Rainbow grumbled in frustration at Applejack's question.

"He... He never does that to me before. It's like I'm nothing to him. I thought if I went out, he would suddenly tag along and stuff like he usually would, but he just... didn't care..."

Rainbow forgot how she got here in the first place. Sure, she was going to stop by at the booths to get some carrots to munch on (and saving one to build a snowpony) before she stumbled upon Applejack, Twilight and Rarity, the trio in high spirits while on their hunt for a Hearth's Warming gift. It was when they saw her glum self that, for some reason, propelled all of them to Twilight's library for a little counseling session.

"Perhaps he's in some pattern of a mood swing," Rarity speculated.

"After all, he is still a pony. I'm certain every pony in Equestria has got their bad days."

"Maybe, but he wouldn't show it if it did," the mare stated.

"Something must've happened to him. I don't know what it was, but it didn't sit well with him. I don't know if it was me, or if it was about yesterday, but no matter how I tried to talk to him after he cried, he just... kept quiet. It's like he doesn't want to speak to me anymore."

"Now, now, sugarcube," Applejack hushed, comforting her friend with a pat on the back.

"Why in the hay would Tassee hate you? If he does, he wouldn't still live in your house now, would he?"

"Maybe he's just taking matters into his own hooves," Twilight theorized.

"Maybe he just doesn't want you to get involved."

"But I'm his marefriend! I could help him out if he had stuff he wanted to do, right?"

"W-Well, maybe he wants to do it by himself for once. Maybe he didn't want to trouble you and tried to be independent about dealing with it."

Rainbow would've gone against that conjecture, though that resembled Taciturn the most. She could imagine him standing up for himself instead of letting her do his work, knowing how kind he was. If it were true, she just hoped it wouldn't be too much for him to handle; she did find Taciturn sobbing on the couch, after all.

"But he could at least tell me," she muttered.

"Maybe I can just... oh, forget it."

"He was a little upset yesterday..."

Twilight recalled it clearly, mostly because the book fortress that the colt built during his stay here was still standing at the corner. Spike called it the best sculpture he had ever seen, probably because it looked more like an elegant castle than just some random box of bounded paper in leather covers; just goes to show that Taciturn could create art even without meaning to.

Rainbow, on the other hoof, could not believe her ears. Taciturn was upset? Was it because of the rants he got back in the gallery for painting a banner? She thought he had gotten over it the moment they stepped out of the room, though that didn't seem like the case. For the love of Celestia, she's gonna smack herself so badly once she gets home...

"Tassee was upset?" she asked her friend.

"How... upset was he?"

Twilight just cocked her head towards the book fortress, which practically surprised not only Rainbow, but Applejack and Rarity as well.

"He just stayed in there until you came to get him," she said.

"I thought at least he just wanted to paint something in private. You know, to pass the time. Instead, when I opened the uh... book drawbridge, he was just sulking at the corner. I tried to ask him if he needed anything, but... well..."

"Well what?"

"Let's just say he has a pretty good aim when it comes to throwing books."

"Tassee wouldn't do that!!" Rainbow exclaimed, shocked. For the colt to harm her friends were unheard of! She knew Taciturn was capable of hurting others -- she learned that the hard way -- but the fact that he would throw a book at Twilight for no reason whatsoever was simply beyond her! What's he gonna do next, slam Pinkie's face into a cake? Sure, her pink friend might not mind, but still?

"He probably didn't mean to do that! Maybe... M-Maybe that book was not supposed to hit you."

"Well, it certainly did," Twilight stated, rubbing the one sore spot on her head.

"It's not a big deal, Rainbow. It's just a bruise, after all. At least he had the decency to not throw an encyclopedia into my face or something. That one I definitely can't deal with."

"Surely there must be a reason for his brash actions, is there not?" Rarity asked.

"I mean, think about it! He's been a sweet little colt whom we all simply adore and know as Taciturn Bleach! We all know that he wouldn't do something horrid unless something else made him do it, right?"

"Mus' be somethin' ya know about, RD," Applejack said after a moment of thought.

"Ah'd reckon he ain't too happy about somethin'. Did it have somethin' to do that with hoodingy banner he made for the Wonderbolts?"

"I don't know... maybe it is about that..."

Rainbow still remembered her mother's insults about Taciturn: a liar, an over-pampered foal stuffed with too much pride, a dim-witted colt with nothing else to do except for painting the worst things in the world... those words hurt the both of them. She gritted her teeth; that mare just had to be there to ruin their day.

"If she didn't come, it would be different," she declared.

"Tassee wouldn't be like this. I wouldn't be like this!"

Nopony dared to speak, not when it comes to the topic of Firefly. Only two ponies knew what happened the day mother and daughter had their blazing argument, with the latter being stuck in this room. Rainbow would always be angered every time her mother's name was mentioned, leaving the rest to wonder.

"Ya just need to talk it out," Applejack advised.

"She probably might listen now, wouldn't she?"

"Would she?"

"You'll never know, Rainbow," Twilight said.

"I got into arguments with my mother myself, but we still talked to each other after a while. Who knows? Maybe it's time you paid her a visit or something."

"You guys don't understand!" Rainbow exclaimed, throwing her hooves up.

"My mom's different from all of yours, okay? Once she says 'no', she really means it!"

"Perhaps she did back then," Rarity said.

"But surely she must've changed after... how long has it been since the uh... disagreement?"

"Five years."

The jaws of her three friends dropped out of their consternation. Rainbow chuckled to herself: she could practically hear them screaming what she said in their heads. Nevertheless, it was the profound truth; it was five years since she had talked to her mother. It was five years of a bitter mother-daughter relationship, to the point that she doesn't even go back home for Hearth's Warming every year since.

"My dad wanted us to leave it in the past," she added.

"On the other hoof, my mom expected me to apologize for that day."

"What did you do wrong?"

"It doesn't matter."

"It must've mattered somehow," Twilight pressed on.

"What could've been so bad that made you guys do this to each other?"

"You don't have to know!!"

Rainbow panted lightly, realizing what happened only when she saw the shocked faces of her three friends. After a brief moment of trembling silence, the cyan mare suddenly turned around, marching towards the door with a hefty flap of her wings, her hoof snatching her woollen magenta scarf draping over one of the many hooks screwed tight into a nearby shelf.

"I-I'm gonna go back and check on Taciturn," she stammered profusely, wrapping the scarf around her neck.

"Thanks f-for the uh... advice and everything... you know... the stuff you guys told me..."

In a huff, the cyan mare left the library, slamming the door shut behind her as she emerged into the snow-covered town of Ponyville. The harsh, cold wind was blowing her scarf about, tossing it violently as she trudged forward without a glance back, heading down the path to her house in the distance.

That was a close one, her inner self said. On the contrary, she didn't mean to shout at them like that. Sure, there was always a time where they were going to know too much, but she knew it wasn't their fault. They were trying to help her, after all. Great, she scolded herself. Now she felt guilty for Taciturn and for yelling at her friends!

"Don't worry," she said, trying to comfort herself.

"You'll get over this rough patch soon. I'm sure of it."

Hopefully.

"I'm back!"

Rainbow Dash placed a few paper bags full of Hearth's Warming treats onto the table, tossing her scarf up and smiling proudly once she saw it float languidly down, hanging itself onto the hook of the coat rack, right next to Taciturn's own black one.

The pale stallion was nowhere to be seen. He must be sleeping already while waiting for her, she said to herself. She never meant to make him wait; after leaving Twilight's house, she got a little sidetracked once again, this time from helping a few fillies with some flying tricks. All those bright faces of awe after her demonstration made her smile, reminding her that it was worth it. Oh, if only Taciturn could amaze them with his talent as well.

"Tassee?" she called out, ruffling through one of the bags.

"Tassee, I got dinner for you!"

Swiftly as he could, Taciturn suddenly lunged from out of their room, galloping frantically towards the table before throwing himself onto the chair and actually spinning on it in one circle like a vinyl record. His tongue was reaching out as he tottered about impatiently on his seat, his eyes sparkling at its brightest of the day.

"Dashie!" he squeaked happily, hooves knocking repeatedly onto the table. Rainbow, on the other hoof, just stared wide-eyed at the colt, completely taken aback by his sudden change of behaviour. What happened to the sulking colt this morning? Why was he acting like the time he drank ten cups of coffee? Of course, Taciturn didn't bother, as he suddenly stuffed his head into the bag greedily, trying his best to reach for its contents.

"Woah there! Slow down, Tassee!" Rainbow exclaimed, pulling the bag off his head to see the colt's tight, relentless grip onto the green tip of the leaf of a carrot. She nearly guffawed at the sight, though she held it back at the last second; she needed to know why he was acting like this.

"What's gonna into you all of a sudden?"

Taciturn just smiled, teeth still retaining its grip on the carrot. Again, Rainbow held back her laughter, though she managed a grin as she herself searched the bag. There's no need to question him for now, she told herself. What matters most is that he is happy again.

"Well, that carrot is not your dinner," she stated.

That's for the snowpony we're planning to build."

A glance down at the vegetable, then up at Rainbow, before the colt sheepishly placed the carrot at the very edge of the table, gently pushing it as it rolled towards his marefriend. With a chuckle, Rainbow placed it back in the bag, before actually handing to him his meal: a plate of stuffed potatoes, finely diced with other assortments of vegetables spilling from its core. Taciturn let out a loud gasp at that, wings flapping ecstatically, before gladly accepting the plate, nuzzling the mare's cheek fondly.

"Aw, no biggie, buddy," Rainbow answered, giggling.

"I'm glad you liked it."

It was a delicious meal, the both of them agreed, having finished it in only a couple of minutes. With a satisfied sigh, Rainbow plopped herself onto the couch, with Taciturn following shortly after. The mare closed her eyes, relishing the moment of silence and tranquillity that encapsulates the entirety of the house, with only the sounds of the night to croon and charm her ears.

A sudden warmth over a body snapped her eyes open as she turned her head around, surprised to see one of Taciturn's large wings draped over her. Her gaze lifted to his face, his mysterious, sparkling black eyes staring straight into her own. The both of them just stared at each other for a long moment, and before Rainbow could declare the awkwardness of the situation, he tilted his head to the side, suddenly asking:

"Sleep?"

"What? Oh, not so soon, Tassee," she said, chuckling at his misunderstanding.

"I'm just enjoying the moment, y'know. Every mare has to relax once in a while."

Taciturn glanced about for a minute, hooves fidgeting about. Just as he was about to peel his wing off of her, Rainbow suddenly gripped onto one of its tinted tips, stopping him immediately with a squawk of pain. The colt could only watch his marefriend slowly draping it over her again, her face bearing a sheepish grin.

"I like it better this way," she said, a faint red growing in his cheeks.

"If you don't mind, that is."

Great. Now she's sounding like Fluttershy. Rainbow would grumble at herself for that later; for now, it's just her and her most favourite pony in the world. Taciturn's gripe became a grin when she said that, happily complying by worming his way up the couch, his head soon propped right next to hers.

"Dashie?" he asked a question, to which only the other pony could understand.

"Yes," Rainbow assured him, sighing.

"Of course you can be right next to me."

Taciturn's peachy grin could've lit up the world when she said that, the both of them proceeding to close their eyes, once again enjoying the moment. Rainbow, of course, had to wonder: what actually happened to him that made him so depressed in the morning? Why was he so angry yesterday that Twilight had to have a book thrown onto her head? Moreover, what made Taciturn become the happiest colt she had ever seen?

A small lick on her forehead broke into her thoughts, the mare opening her eyes to see Taciturn's tongue grazing at one very special, painful spot that had lingered since Hearts and Hooves Day. He stopped to whimper once Rainbow realized what he was doing, instead just turning away.

"Tassee, you know that's a long time ago," Rainbow said, edging closer towards him.

"It's all in the past now, alright? What matters is that I'm still here and I love you."

"Dashie?"

"Really," she answered. Without further ado, Rainbow just leaned her head against his, nuzzling cheek to cheek and making him purr, before she bring her lips to his, giving a gentle kiss. This kiss was different, somehow; it was stinging her heart, her gut aching with doubt. Of course, Taciturn didn't seem to mind.

"Okay then," she muttered, letting out a yawn.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Taciturn just grinned, nodding happily as he squealed one more time:

"Sleep!"

At The Fifth Minute

"This way, Tassee!"

Trust only a small bunch of tulips to capture the attention of Taciturn Bleach, Rainbow told herself with a shake of her head. Immediately, with a twitch of his ears, the blanched colt galloped towards her down the dirt path, his wide, open-mouthed smile drawing the attention of many along the road.

Ponyville was certainly at the height of its Hearth's Warming spirit. Booths and vendors were pitched up at the sides of the streets like an aisle, complete with wreaths and bells hanging from the roof and goods ranging from ornaments to gingerbread houses placed on display. Snowponies outnumber the sculptures around town, lights hang from every house and there was even a pony dressed up as Santa Hooves in a red suit and white beard, mocking his deep laughter and ringing a bell that could've been heard a mile away.

All of this at nine in the morning felt pretty early for Rainbow, even though she planned to come here in the first place to gather some decorations for her house. Taciturn, of course, tagged along, which was pretty new to him; before he met Rainbow, he spent Hearth's Warming holed up in the hospital, painting just to pass the time. Now, with Rainbow to guide him, he saw his world being brighter than it ever was, capturing every inch of it with his brilliant memory.

"It's exciting, isn't it?" Rainbow asked, to which he gave a cheerful nod. She knew it was his first time going on a Hearth's Warming shopping spree, though with him by her side, it felt like it was her first time too. It was one of the new things she experienced for this year's Hearth's Warming, along with something else.

There, in the distance not too great, was the giant pine tree, moved from the northern outskirts of Ponyville, conveniently placed in front of town hall and secretly decorated before the eve of Hearth's Warming. It was there, on the day before the Winter Wrap Up, that the anonymous gift-giving session has been organized, with the entirety of Ponyville already joining in. The monumental height of the plant could be seen from her home, almost as if it was there to remind her about getting a gift. If that were the case, she would scoff about it: she wouldn't miss the session for the world.

"Rainbow Dash!" came the voice of Daisy.

"How nice of you to come! Oh, and you've brought Tassee with you! Who's the number one painter of Ponyville?"

"Dashie?"

The two mares giggled, even as he stared in bewilderment, oblivious to his mistake.

"He always says that," Rainbow explained, before turning to Taciturn.

"Again, it's you, silly, not me."

The colt looked down, almost as if in a moment of deep thought, before he nodded quickly, much to their amusement.

"So what brings you here, RD?" the florist asked.

"Are you looking for some daisies for the gallery?"

"As a matter of fact, yeah!" the cyan mare answered.

"Finally got a white vase from Rarity, so I thought it needed a couple of flowers to go with it."

"Well, you've come to the right place! How many you need?"

Rainbow turned to Taciturn, who just knocked onto the booth three times. With a grin, Daisy soon picked out from a bouquet behind her a trio of the white flowers, handing it to the white colt, who eagerly accepted it and placing them neatly into a rattan basket he had brought along, right in between a stick of charcoal and a small pouch of marbles.

"Isn't he the most adorable colt?" Daisy commented, the other mare nodding with a smile.

"So, any future plans yet? If you know what I mean, of course."

"What? Oh, no, no, not yet!" Rainbow exclaimed, shaking her hooves in denial.

"I don't think I'm ready for it, to be honest. We're just gonna take it slow. Don't wanna rush it."

"First time I hear you slowing down for something," the florist teased.

"Anyways, got a gift for the tree yet? Heard there's a lot of special gifts saved for the occasion!"

"Eh... still looking for one."

"You better be quick, Rainbow," she said.

"From what I hear from the other vendors, everything's selling pretty fast."

Rainbow nodded, thanking her for the advice before resuming her hunt once again. She was still unsure of what to get for the gift session. However exciting it may be, she was a little doubtful about her choice of gift; what if the pony who got her gift didn't like what he or she finds? Should she find something that everypony in the entire town likes? She could just get a small pendant of some sort, but that would probably cost her a hundred or so bits.

"What about you, Tassee?" she asked the colt.

"Got anything planned for the gift-giving session yet?"

A shrug.

"Same here," she replied.

"Great. At this point, we wouldn't have anything left to buy."

"You could go to those booths over there, near Sweet Apple Acres. There's boatloads of stuff there."

The couple turned around, surprised to see none other than Spitfire trotting up to them. Rainbow was the first to give the enthusiastic 'hello', the mare literally bouncing on the spot in front of her favorite Wonderbolt like Pinkie Pie would in front of a gingerbread house. With a chuckle, Spitfire turned to Taciturn and scratched his chin, the colt clearly enjoying it from the way his hooves were thumping on the floor.

"You guys seem a little lost," she remarked.

"Having trouble finding the right thing, huh?"

"Are you doing that gift thingy too?"

"Gift thingy? Oh, that thing! Heard about it when I asked around," Spitfire said.

"Not really. I mean I'll be in Canterlot when you guys start unwrapping the presents. The team and I still have a show to perform there, remember?"

"F'course I do," Rainbow declared proudly.

"After all, a certain somepony's creation is going to be on display there, isn't it?"

Taciturn Bleach withdrew his glance from the big tree in the distance, flinching the moment he realized the two mares were staring right at him, before they burst out laughing. It wasn't long before the couple once again continued their quest, this time joined by a new companion. Their search eventually led them to, for some strange reason, Carousel Boutique, the sight of three familiar fillies playing around in the snow soon coming into view.

"Over here, Rainbow Dash!" the pegasus of the trio called out, hoof waving in the air.

"Hey there, squirt!" the cyan mare said, ruffling her mane.

"You guys having tons of fun out here, huh?"

"Sure did! We thought we were gonna build a snow fortress this time! We are soldiers, here to defend our glorious nation of Ponyville from the armies of-- woah, woah, woah, wait a sec!"

Immediately, with her wings buzzing, Scootaloo zipped towards Spitfire, who just glanced down confusedly at the filly. The Wonderbolt gave an uncertain glance at Rainbow, who only flashed a smug grin in return. Taciturn, of course, just switched glances between everypony, before snorting and just punching holes into the snow.

"Y-You..." the orange filly stammered.

"You... you are..."

"Yep."

Spitfire didn't bother to give her time to finish; she knew what Scootaloo was going to say anyway. She was Spitfire, the ever glorious, ever wonderful captain of the best flying team in the world, the Wonderbolts. That previous sentence could've been a good motto if it wasn't as sarcastic as she imagined.

It wasn't only Scootaloo, but Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle who gasped in unison. The Wonderbolt just braced herself, getting ready for the endless, swarming tirade of questions that would soon render her senseless. Of course, she did not expect, from these three very special fillies, the favor they were going to ask:

"Could you teach us how to go skydiving?!"

"How to what?" she asked, bewildered.

"You want me to do what now?"

"You heard 'em," Rainbow said, giving her a playful nudge forward.

"They want you to teach them about skydiving. Apparently, to them, it may give them their Cutie Marks."

"It will!" Scootaloo corrected her idol's sentence.

"All we needed is somepony who could do awesome tricks in the air, just like Rainbow Dash!"

"W-Well, then why didn't you ask Rainbow Dash to teach you guys instead of me?"

"Rainbow said that Tassee would scream if we did."

Scootaloo suddenly edged up to the Wonderbolt's ear, continuing her sentence in a low whisper.

"Trust me, you do not want to hear Tassee scream."

Spitfire turned to Rainbow, gritting her teeth with a glare once she saw the cheeky, growing grin on the other mare's face. Taciturn soon crept up next to his marefriend, the two standing with wings around each other as Rainbow gave her a wave, watching 'helplessly' from afar. Spitfire groaned underneath her breath: she was being dragged into teaching three fillies something beyond their limit, only because a certain mare decided to slack once again. She'll certainly have her revenge when that rookie comes back to the Academy.

"Well played, Rainbow Dash," she muttered spitefully, accepting her fate with a sigh.

"Well played."

"Cutie Mark Crusader skydivers! Yay!"

"Celestia... how much energy do the three of them have?"

"A lot, but not as much as Pinkie Pie," Rainbow answered, the two chuckling at the mention of her hyperactive friend.

"Now you see why I said no?"

"Definitely."

Teaching three over-enthusiastic fillies on something as difficult as skydiving was surely not something she was good at. Apparently, they'd prefer starting from an extreme, deadly height that could've probably killed ponies twice their age and inexperienced as them rather than just leaping off the branch of a tree and landing into a mound of pillows. Spitfire wanted to protest, though they were too busy trying their best to find a way to reach for their cords of their parachutes to pay attention. It was the sound of Rarity calling for her sister that freed her, dispersing the Crusaders once again and saying their farewells, leaving Spitfire back in the company of Rainbow and Taciturn Bleach.

"You know that means you still owe me, right?"

"Even if you put practice at six in the morning," Rainbow retorted.

"I don't think anypony can ever get more tired than teaching those three."

"Still, it's amazing, the things they would bring themselves to do."

"Yeah! I mean, skydiving? C'mon! Some of us could just faint at the thought of it!"

Both mares chuckled at that, their journey taking them back to the giant tree. There were many ponies standing around it, some taking photos with their friends, some already placing their gifts at the bottom and some just admiring its dazzling display of ornaments and sheer size. Taciturn was soon entranced by it as well, pulling Rainbow's hoof frantically as he dragged himself towards the tree.

"Go on, then!" Rainbow said, petting his head.

"We'll be watching from here."

With a fervent kick of his hooves, the colt raced up to the bottom of the tree, tail wagging faster with all his might and surprising the two mares with his speed. Chuckling quietly, Rainbow turned to Spitfire, giving her an inquisitive look that could've asked many questions, but Spitfire knew she only wanted to know the answer of one.

"Yes," she sighed.

"I've talked to Firefly about it."

"What did she say?"

"I don't know," she admitted.

"She told me to leave before she could give me an answer. Of course, judging from how... angry she looks, I don't think she liked the news."

"Not one bit?" Rainbow asked, a little desperate for the opposite.

"Not even the slightest, teensy-weensy bit?"

"No."

"Great!" the cyan mare sighed in defeat, throwing her hooves up in the air.

"What are we going to do now? If she doesn't give a 'yes', how else could I propose or anything? I can't expect to marry him in secret, right? The whole of Equestria would know about it eventually!"

"Hold it, Rainbow," Spitfire said, placing a hoof on her rookie's shoulder.

"You gotta give her some time. Just because she didn't like the fact that you would propose to him doesn't mean that she would not allow it. She's still your mother, Rainbow Dash. She would want what's best for you."

"If she doesn't allow it?"

Spitfire shrugged. With a gruff sigh, Rainbow just glanced longingly back at Taciturn, who was busy examining some of the ornaments hanging from the leaves by simply knocking it about, mesmerized by the jingling it makes and the way it bounces about. He looked so innocent and so adorable, she told herself, yet she knew he was a responsible pony in his own right. If only her mother could see how worthy of a stallion he is...

"Taciturn..." she muttered his full name, for once.

"If only you knew what was happening..."

"Toy train set or notebook?"

Taciturn pointed at the former, to which Rainbow soon wrapped up quickly yet meticulously and putting it aside for now. It was going to be the gift she would place underneath the tree, which she finally managed to get her hooves on after a long and rushed search through the near-empty shelves of the toy store. It might not be everypony's taste, but at least it could be better than just a bunch of carrots.

The couple were back in their house, killing time by wrapping gifts they had planned to give their friends during Pinkie's planned Hearth's Warming party. Their shopping spree managed to take up most of the day, having tried to find the right present that all of their friends were sure to like.

"And that's the last one!" Rainbow declared, tying up the last strand of ribbon into a bow.

"There! All done, Tassee!"

The colt did a gleeful hop, landing next to his chuckling marefriend, who wrapped a hoof around his shoulder and bringing him close, their cheeks nuzzling against each other. He purred out of satisfaction, the puffy smile of his once again lighting up her heart. Rainbow sighed to herself; another day gone, another job done. She got a present for each of her friends and, as a bonus, one to place under the tree as well. Two problems down!

"Y'know, I think I've forgotten somepony else," the mare said suddenly, hiding her grin.

"Lemme think about it for a sec... yep, I've forgotten to get a gift for somepony."

Taciturn nudged her with his snout, curious on knowing who.

"Well, who else?" she retorted, giggling.

"It's you, of course!"

"Dashie?"

"Yep! Only you left, Tassee!" she exclaimed.

"So, whatcha want? A new paintbrush? A Santa Hooves cap?"

Taciturn just shrugged, much to her disappointment. Of course, when it comes to something as trivial as that, Rainbow knew that there's still time to think of a present for him. She has an idea of what he might like, though knowing him, he would already be happy if she gave him a sack of potatoes.

"I'll think about it," she promised the bleached colt.

"All I can say is that it'll be a good present. I promise."

The two soon settled down on the couch, both simultaneously letting out a yawn. It was the second night in a row that they would sleep there instead of dragging themselves to the bed, but they didn't really care. Taciturn nearly dozed off at the fifth minute, before a tap on his shoulder snapped his eyes right open.

"Tassee, I know you might not answer me, but," Rainbow stopped to sigh.

"Remember yesterday morning?"

A reluctant nod.

"What happened to you?"

"N-Nightmare..."

Rainbow would've laughed her head off, though she stopped, knowing how hurt he would be if she did. He was worked up throughout the whole day yesterday, with all the sobbing and crying and worried her and probably all of their friends, all because of a nightmare? She could clearly see why he didn't want her to know about it; he inherited her sense of dignity, after all.

"Everypony has a nightmare, y'know. I have some too," she said, trying to comfort him.

"What's yours about?"

Taciturn pointed at the door, Rainbow's gaze following along. Her blank stare made him roll his eyes, before he pressed a hoof onto her chest, practically surprising her, and once again, pointed at the door. Quietly he mewled, leaving Rainbow to gather her thoughts, the answer finally clicking into her head.

"You had a nightmare..." she gave her guess.

"Of me leaving you here? Alone? Without ever coming back?"

A dismal nod.

"Why would you think I might leave you here, Tassee?" Rainbow asked, slightly shocked.

"I'm the Element of Loyalty and I don't leave my friends behind. You know how special are you to me? You're my coltfriend, for Celestia's sake! There's no way in Tartarus I would leave you. Ever."

"Dashie?"

"Promise," she affirmed. With a squeal, Taciturn suddenly snuggled against his marefriend, making her chuckle. Rainbow felt a weight lift of her shoulders; it was never about her troubles after all!

"Well, at least I know why you were so happy when I came back yesterday."

The colt just blushed, giving his widest grin. With a quiet sigh, Rainbow rested her head down onto the couch, glancing up right at the ceiling, silently thinking through the troubles she was now facing. She still didn't know if Taciturn wouldn't mind her inclusion into the Wonderbolts and touring around the world. On the other hoof, the chances of her mother giving her consent are looking bleak. Of course, she could just take a risk and marry him already, but she doesn't want to, not when it involves the fragile feelings of her coltfriend.

"Tassee?" she called to him.

A purr.

"Would you promise me something?" she asked.

"Promise me if there was ever something bothering you, you gotta let me know, alright?"

Rainbow couldn't see it, but she could feel his chin gently petting her head twice. With a grin, the two pegasi closed their eyes, the mare of the couple silently wading through the darkness of her mind, searching for a happy thought or a hopeful dream. She opened her eyes just to shift herself around and face the colt, before she dug her head into his chest, smiling as she felt his hooves wrap around her.

"Soon, Rainbow Dash," she whispered to herself.

"Soon..."

The Sixth Sense Of Taciturn Bleach

"Mm... Tassee, stop it..."

"Uh... R-Rainbow?"

"Five minutes, buddy. Just.. f-five more..."

"Rainbow Dash!"

Rainbow's ears perked at the voice. That was certainly not Taciturn Bleach; it was more like Fluttershy's instead. Immediately, she hopped from the couch, a little bewildered to see her timid friend in her household with Tank standing right next to her. The one pony she had expected to see was not here, however.

"Y-You're up early today, Flutters," she stammered.

"Have you seen Tassee around? He must be here somewhere..."

"He's not here."

Fluttershy would've said the same thing, but she had been beaten to it by none other than Spitfire. The Wonderbolt soon trotted into her view, wearing a solemn expression that could've belonged in a funeral. The bright light of the sun shining into the room told her it was eight in the morning, making her wonder why both of them were here and where Taciturn could've gone at such an early hour.

"Sorry to ruin your sleep, RD," Spitfire muttered in a low voice.

"We were told to come here and wake you up."

"Wait, what?" Rainbow questioned.

"You guys were told to wake me up? By who?"

"Me, of course."

Rainbow craned her neck around, clenching her teeth once she saw the figure that stepped out from the kitchen. For it was none other than Firefly, her mother, who emerged from behind, staring down scornfully and pitilessly at her very own daughter. Both mares just stared, without a word, without a sound. It was so silent, yet an argument is already brewing; another battle has begun, where swords of foul-mouthed words were drawn and arrows of insults and mockery were ready to be signalled. It is only a matter of who would drive the first stake into the ground.

"Seems you have quite a house," Firefly said first.

"I must admit, I'm surprised you could maintain this place."

"What are you doing here, Mom?"

"Straight to the point, eh Rainbow? Fine," she scowled.

"It has come to my attention that you and... Taciturn, are going to, to put it simply, take it to the next level."

"Yeah," Rainbow gruffly replied.

"I told Spitfire to ask for your consent about it, didn't I?"

"Clearly you did," Firefly answered, glancing venomously at Spitfire, who turned away immediately. Rainbow, however, was more interested of the presence of Fluttershy. Being foalhood friends, it wasn't surprised that her mother knew about Fluttershy, yet she couldn't fathom why she was here. She had no part in any of this, after all.

"Why is Fluttershy here?"

"Your father said he couldn't make it," was her mother's ridiculous answer, in her opinion.

"So I thought I'd bring along one of your friends instead."

"She shouldn't be involved in this in the first place."

"Oh, I have some time to spare, Rainbow," Fluttershy said.

"I'm okay with being here. A-At least, for a while..."

"See?" Firefly retorted, smiling.

"She said she's fine with it..."

"Of course she is," Rainbow answered, crossing her hooves before grumbling quietly:

"Mostly because you made her say it..."

"Don't think I can't hear you, Rainbow Dash. Just because I'm twice you're age doesn't mean I'm deaf."

Firefly squinted a glare directly at her daughter, who just toss her mane to the side, not even bothering to glance at her mother. Spitfire and Fluttershy dared not to intervene, lest they incite the rage of either mare. Tank was even hiding in his shell, trembling from fear at the brewing argument before him. With a grimace, Firefly soon trotted up to her daughter, literally looking down at her as she said:

"That colt, Taciturn Bleach, is... queerly interesting."

Rainbow remained silent, prompting the older mare to continue:

"I've known about how you two got together last year," she said.

"Saw your name and his face in the newspaper, at the opening of the White Gallery. The word 'marefriend' was there, clear as day. I swore to myself I would meet this coltfriend of yours one day, Rainbow, and I finally did. He's an illustrious painter, that Taciturn Bleach. I've even admired some of his artwork. Of course, with a reputation like that, I believe him to be educated and headstrong in his work, but it seems I have overestimated him."

"So what are you saying?" her daughter finally rasped.

"That's he's just somepony you could mock? That you think it'll be funny to hurt his feelings?"

"He doesn't deserve you, Rainbow."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Rainbow could not believe her ears! That has to be the most insulting, most slanderous, most outrageous remark she had ever heard from her mother! Her hooves clenched up tightly, wanting so badly to just break a bone or two. She could even see Fluttershy from the corner of the eye, wanting to speak up against such cruel words, but Spitfire stopped her with a hoof, shaking her head discouragingly. It was understandable; you wouldn't want to get in the way of an enraged Firefly.

"Taciturn's my coltfriend!" she yelled.

"He's not some idiot pony! Not like that dog you've asked me to go out with!"

"That 'dog' is affectionately the son of a friend of mine!" Firefly shouted back.

"You know how miserable he looked the moment the both of you came back. You've seen him wallow in front of his own mother. Do you know how hard it was for him to even show his face outside ever again?"

"He treated me like I'm useless, Mom! He treated me like I'm a tool!"

"So you think that means you have to scream at him, is that it?! That means you have to slam his face into his plate and throw him across the restaurant, is that it?!!"

"I NEVER ASKED TO BE WITH HIM!!"

Rainbow sniffled, teeth almost as if crushing each other as she glared up with watery eyes at her mother. Every bit of hate she harbored against Firefly had shown itself, cloaking her in an aura so strong, the others could already feel it simmer from her. Firefly, of course, was the only one that stood firm, facing her daughter's fury as those words sunk into her head.

"Y-You don't know how he's like..." she stuttered, wiping away her tears.

"He was never nice to me! He never even cared if I was there! You kept on blabbering about how much of a gentlestallion he was! You kept on saying he would treat me well!"

"I did."

"Well, he DIDN'T!!" Rainbow screamed.

"You know how hurt I was after that stupid date?! You know how many times Dad have to come into my room just to tell me it's over?! You know how much I cried at night because of all the things he said to me in front of the whole restaurant?!! I hate him! I hate him so much I just want him gone!!"

"Rainbow--"

"Why do you have to do this to me?! Just... why?!"

"Um... Commander Firefly?"

Spitfire snapped her superior out of her reverie, who turned to her, slightly disgruntled. Usually, the younger Wonderbolt wouldn't want to intervene the matters of her superior, especially when it's something this private and personal, though she knew she had to, unless they want to spend the next four years here listening to them screaming at each other's faces.

"I think we should give Rainbow some time," she suggested.

"I believe she needs it."

Quietly, Firefly slowly strode towards the door, followed by Spitfire and Fluttershy, the three mares chased away by Rainbow's trembling sobs of despair. Her mother turned back for a while, solemnly gazing down at her broken daughter with one hoof out the door, her own eyes seemingly shimmering. It was unlikely for Firefly to show her tears, especially in front of Spitfire, though even the greatest mares have their harsh moments.

"Just to let you know, Taciturn is at Sugarcube Corner," she muttered.

"I told Fluttershy to bring him there, to spare him from our arguments for his sake. He certainly does not need to hear that, especially when he hears what you might say."

"W-Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you do that?" Rainbow questioned.

"Y-You called him so many things, yet you brought him away, even though you kn-knew what was g-going to happen. You could've just made him watch. W-Why...?"

"Simple, Rainbow."

Firefly turned her head forward, back facing her daughter. For some reason, Rainbow thought she saw her flash a smile. It was the first genuine smile she would've seen from her mother if she didn't imagine it. Spitfire and Fluttershy could've sworn they had seen the same thing, though another glance only proved her lips to be straight. With hooves clenched, Firefly said one more thing before strutting forward with the rest, leaving Rainbow sitting there, unable to believe what she had just heard:

"Because I'm your mother, and Taciturn's your coltfriend."

"So... is that a 'yes' or a 'no'?"

"I don't know... I don't..." Rainbow managed to gasp out, two hooves massaging her pounding temple.

"I... I j-just... I c-can't think straight..."

"Just give her some time, Applejack," Twilight informed.

"She's been through a lot for one morning."

She certainly did. This morning was certainly an unforgettable one. However chilly and thick the air is of frost, nothing could ever be harder to thaw in this frozen day than the emotions Rainbow Dash had bottled up in her heart before setting course to Twilight's library just past noon. She had initial plans to steer her way to the haven that is Sugarcube Corner, mostly to sate her need to see Taciturn's face once more, though she quickly discarded them; she don't want him to see her. At least, not like this.

The moment Twilight opened the door for her, Rainbow's facade immediately collapsed. All her emotions washed out from her in a tidal wave, the mare crying and crying ever the more loudly in her friend's embrace. Every wound burst from it seams, every scar revealing itself as despair brutally assaulted her. She felt numb and hopeless, even in the presence of two of her friends. It was as if the Rainbow Dash that all of them knew had her life stolen away, leaving behind only a defenseless, gloomy shell of her once-glorious self.

"Ya sure she's alright?" Applejack asked Twilight, a little doubtful. "She seems to've gone a little cuckoo, if ya ask me."

Twilight just shrugged worriedly, concerned as well for Rainbow. Who wouldn't if their friend just finished sobbing, went to sulk in the corner and is muttering all sorts of things to herself? All of them, including Pinkie and Rarity, knew what happened with her and Firefly, Fluttershy having notified them about it the moment she could.

The front door opened suddenly just as Rarity strutted in, a look of anxiety on his face, which softened the moment she spotted Rainbow Dash. Slowly, she strode to Twilight's side, joining them in their hopeful congregation of silence as their eyes fixed onto their depressed friend.

"How long has she been like this?" the fashion designer couldn't help but ask.

"Half an hour or so, I guess," Twilight answered.

"She wouldn't talk to us unless we talk to her. Even if we did, we wouldn't go anywhere with that conversation."

"Well, I suppose even a civil conversation couldn't replenish her spirit," was the response.

"And? What of Taciturn? Has he knew of her state yet?"

Twilight shook her head no, much to their disappointment. Taciturn was the one viable option, if not their last one, that could restore Rainbow to her former glory, though the mare herself said she didn't want to see him. The white colt, with his energetic, lively and admittedly-adorable smile was that one channel to her last ray of hope, yet why she blocked it out, her friends have no idea.

"Rainbow, you can't keep doing this," the scholar of the group said.

"Everything's in the past, Rainbow. You can forgive your mother for whatever she's done to you now, can't you? Maybe she wanted you and Taciturn together in the first place!"

"How would you know?"

"Because she's still your mother," Twilight answered.

"She wants what's best for you. She wouldn't say no just to botch your relationship with Tassee, would she? All you have to do is forgive her for what she's done."

"But..." Rainbow muttered.

"But she's so..."

"She might be back then, but it's been five years, Rainbow. Surely, some part of her must have changed. Some part of her maybe learned how to forgive you. She might not show it on the outside, knowing her, but she could've already said yes without even letting you know about it."

Before Rainbow could speak, the front door burst open again, this time with Fluttershy and Pinkie trotting in. The former mare was gasping loudly, her hooves weakly trembling out of fatigue. The latter, on the other hoof, was panting out enough air to power a hurricane, eyes darting from room to room like a frenzied monkey as she screeched out in her loudest, rawest high-pitched voice:

"WHERE'S RAINBOW DASH?!"

"Ow, ow! Pinkie, I'm here, there's no need to--!"

Rainbow suddenly felt herself being tackled down, tumbling back towards the shelf and hitting her head, the ache that had lingered in there for a while now once again working up a storm. She was about to shout at whichever pony did that to her until she felt a tender lick against her cheek, followed by two familiar hooves wrapping around her in a tight hug.

"T-Tassee?"

The bleached colt nodded hastily, his head buried in her chest. It was only when she heard his soft whimpers that her heart suddenly stopped. Taciturn was crying? What the hay happened to him? Did they stumble upon Firefly on the way here? She glanced at her friends with wide eyes, wanting to know the answer.

"What happened?" she questioned.

"We don't know!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"He was all smiles and sunshine one minute then, when Fluttershy came through the door, Tassee just started having all these tears falling from his eyes! Nopony touched him or did anything to him! Ever!"

No matter how much Rainbow didn't want to believe them, she knew immediately that they were telling the truth. None of them would hurt Taciturn in any way, knowing how vulnerable he is. Of course, that doesn't mean he would suddenly break down for no absolute reason; she was his guardian and marefriend for a year and nothing of that sort happened before!

"I-I asked him if h-he wanted anything," Fluttershy stammered nervously.

"You know, j-just in case if he was hungry..."

"And?"

"He said he wanted you."

All eyes turned to Taciturn in surprise, who, despite the tears streaming down his cheeks, was smiling. Rainbow couldn't even begin to comprehend; what was in Taciturn's mind that provoked him and pushed him over the edge? She wanted to ask him, knowing the promise she made him keep the night before, though that smile of his... she couldn't help but let her quivering lips curl up as well.

"That's why when we knew that you were here," Pinkie added.

"We immediately galloped as fast as we can! Woo-wee, that was fun~!!"

"I don't understand..." she muttered.

"Why... why would he be sad for no reason?"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Pinkie chimed again, hoof jiggling in the air.

"Maybe... maybe he knows that you're sad as well, so he becomes sad, get it? Huh? Huh?"

"You mean like some sort of connection that shares their emotions?" Twilight tried to rephrase, to which Pinkie give an exuberant, affirmative nod.

"I think I got it..."

"What?" Rainbow asked.

"What is it? I don't understand?"

"It's... like a gut feeling," the unicorn explained.

"That feeling just comes out of nowhere, yet it would be almost always right. If you use that concept and apply that, it means that whatever you've felt just now, after the incident this morning with Firefly, Taciturn, even though being apart from you, could somehow feel it as well."

"So what, he has some sort of magic power or sumthin'?" Applejack quipped.

"I gotta tell ya, if he does, it seemed special to me."

"I do agree," Rarity chimed in.

"It was almost as if... he possessed a sort of sixth sense."

"The sixth sense of Taciturn Bleach," Twilight muttered out loud, thinking to herself.

"This is clearly something special. He could feel what you're feeling from such a great distance, without any knowledge of what's going on with you... it wouldn't be magic, would it?"

"Maybe... maybe it is..."

Rare was it for Fluttershy to give a reply in a subject of unicorns, much less giving a reply at all. Nevertheless, the usually shy mare had the attention of all her friends, which would've made her squeak and probably faint to the floor if she hadn't thought of a proper answer.

"Sometimes, I feel sad for some reason, even though I know I'm not," she said.

"Then, Big Mac would come up to me, needing a little cheering up. I thought it was coincidence back then, but now... I don't think it all happened by chance."

"So is that all?" Applejack asked.

"This sixth sense thingy... it's all just plain, old love?"

"I guess so," Rainbow said, though admittedly the more she thought about it, the more she felt that Fluttershy was right. Love was, after all, however girly it sounded, the one thing that both her and Taciturn share. It was also a type of magic as well; she still remembered seeing Princess Cadence and Shining Armor kick all those Changeling flanks out with their combined lovey-dovey spells. Maybe -- she smiled to herself -- the answer is as simple as that.

"Just plain, old love..."

Taciturn let out a squeak of protest, muffled from his head still buried in her chest. Rainbow immediately chuckled, stroking his mane quietly and bringing a smile to everypony's faces. Rainbow was wrong: it isn't just any plain, old love that they've shared. She was the luckiest mare in the world to have a coltfriend who was the kindest, smartest stallion in the world. They certainly loved each other, alright, but it wasn't just any love. No, it was her love for Taciturn Bleach, and his love to her.

And she wouldn't want it any other damn way.

Missing Out The Seventh

"Dashie?"

"Don't worry, I'm looking for it," Rainbow assured, hoof reaching underneath her couch. Nothing.

"Where could it be? It must have rolled around here somewhere..."

Taciturn just looked on, paintbrush gripped tightly in his hoof with splotches of paint already stained his white coat. It was an accident, he would've protested. He was just enjoying another painting session and was about to complete the last arch of the rainbow when his palette slipped! Honest! The chaos he caused practically threw everything around, with the exception of his painting, which still sat on its easel, untouched and untainted.

For Rainbow, it was more amusing than irritating to be woken up early by him just to see his whimpering white self all splattered in paint. She quickly cleaned up the living room free of paint in under ten seconds flat, though just when she thought her job was done, Taciturn tugged at her hoof, pointing at his row of small paint pots: there was one more missing.

"I think it's over..." Rainbow began, her hoof digging into the deepest recesses beneath the table.

"Here!"

Taciturn squeaked happily, wings flapping. Quickly flipping open its cap and dipping his paintbrush into it without a care for his messed-up state, Rainbow watched as he painted the one last curving arch in a brilliant streak of red, smiling once she she saw his complete creation: a painting of a rainbow in the sky, with its one special feature being that he painted it to seem like she was standing in front of a glass prism.

"Still don't know how you could think of this..." Rainbow admitted with a chuckle, ruffling his unkempt mane.

"Now, let's get you a bath."

It was a quick shower they had, though it was the first time they were in it together. Rainbow was a more discreet mare in the shower, feeling even more exposed than before with Taciturn at the other end of the room, busy preening his wings to even stare at her. She couldn't help but blush a little, quickly stepping out just after ten minutes.

"I'll make breakfast, Tassee!" she called back to him, to which she received a nod. Snatching the towel, she quickly wiped herself dry, yet she still felt a little unclean. She would've tended to herself more meticulously if she was alone, but alas, it was not meant to be. Rainbow sighed: she's going to have a more thorough shower once they come back home later from whatever things they were going to do today.

Taciturn soon emerged from the shower twenty minutes later, finally free of the crusty stains of paint as he dried himself before trotting back to the living room. The invigorating smell of pancakes already made him salivate and as he sniffed the air, he quickly pranced towards the dining room, gasping in delight when he saw Rainbow carefully pouring maple syrup over their breakfast, complete with a slab of butter on top.

"Your favorite treat, right buddy?" she said, to which he nodded happily.

"So whatcha plan to do today?"

A shrug.

"Well, you must have something you wanna do, right?" Rainbow asked. Again, another shrug.

"Fine. We'll just see what comes up."

Breakfast was quick, as usual. Stepping over a train track of art tools, Rainbow and Taciturn soon headed to the front door, hoof in hoof with scarfs worn as they once again contend their boredom with a series of plans. It was only a matter of who to visit: Pinkie would've been busy helping the Cakes at the height of the season, Rarity mentioned she has some orders to fulfill by today and Fluttershy... they wouldn't want to get in between her and Macintosh. That leaves Applejack and Twilight, who should be strolling about Ponyville at this hour.

A quick search is all that's needed to find her two friends: immediately after they stepped in, they spotted both the librarian and the farmer perusing through some wares from one of the booths. Upon closer inspection, she realized they were looking at a few cookies on display, all decorated with different artworks of icing.

"Twilight! AJ!" she called out their names, earning their attention.

"Over here, guys!"

"Howdy, partner," Applejack greeted with a tip of her signature hat.

"How's it going with you and Tassee?"

"Pretty fine since yesterday," was the reply. Yesterday had certainly been rough for Rainbow and inadvertently, Taciturn, thanks to a special appearance of her mother in her home. Taciturn still didn't know about it and she intend for it to remain this way; she don't want to hurt his feelings. Not again.

"Since when you guys started scouting for cookies?" she asked, curious.

"Oh, we're done just a moment ago," Twilight said. Almost as if to prove her point, the vendor gave her a pouch of the baked delights, to which she quickly thanked and paid, placing the pouch into a satchel she had brought along.

"These cookies were for Spike," she explained.

"They were specially gem-encrusted, just for him. I thought he needed an extra thank you for all the hard work he had done yesterday when all those new books came in."

"And you, Applejack?" Rainbow asked, turning to her other friend.

"What are you looking for?"

"Me? Well, Ah'm just lookin' fer a treat for Apple Bloom. Thought she would like a cookie or two, but Ah don't see anyth'n she might like yet. What about you? Whatcha both doin' here?"

"Just finding something to do," she answered, Taciturn nodding as well.

"We're just bored out of our minds. I thought we could hang out with you guys for a minute or two, y'know?"

"Oh, yeah!" Twilight exclaimed suddenly, face lighting up.

"Nearly forgot about it. Did you see Spitfire on the way here?"

"Uh... no?"

"Well, you better find her," the librarian continued.

"Apparently. she has something to talk to you about. Something that involves whatever happened yesterday morning, she said. From the way she was saying it, I could tell it was pretty urgent."

"Really? Then I'll look for her right away!"

Upon finishing her declaration, Rainbow soon kicked off her wings and started zooming down the lane. At least, she would be if Taciturn lets go of her tail. She fell flat onto the snow, much to the amusement of her friends as Taciturn leaned down towards her, whimpering in her ear, reminding her of their plan. Yes, she know she was going to spend the rest of the day with him, but when it comes to something like this...

"Look, Tassee," she began, her hooves lifting up his face.

"This is kind of a big thing for me. I gotta go see Spits right away. Here's what, I promise I'll be back in a split second after the meeting's done, okay?"

A sigh, followed by a despondent nod.

"Thank you so much, buddy!" she exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek before speeding off.

"I'll come back soon! Go on without me!"

Taciturn stifled a grin, though it was quick to fade the moment she disappeared into the horizon. His hooves followed that of Twilight's and Applejack's down the vendor booths, joining the two mares in their hunt for a treat for Apple Bloom, yet his mind... it lingered there, waiting, watching ever the more patiently for her to return. He just wanted some time with her. Was it too much to ask?

"Dashie..."

"What happened to you?"

"Oh, just had a run-in with some disrespectful wretch back at Clousdale," Spitfire said, trying to brush it off.

"Trust me, it's not serious as it looks. If you want to show concern, show it to the other guy when you visit Cloudsdale Infirmary. He's gonna go for a hip surgery next week."

It was surprising how the Wonderbolt could be so laid back when it comes to the large bruise slapped on her forehead like a stamp. Spitfire would not say it was her fault; he was the one that came up and smacked her on the face, which lead to her kicking and beating him up and letting him lie on the ground. She wouldn't give a damn about her image, knowing how the press would fear inciting her temper anyway, as well as Firefly's.

"Well, that's what you get when you become a Wonderbolt," she stated.

"Just thousands of jealous ponies waiting to bring you down."

"What, ponies hurting you?"

"Not only you, of course," she corrected.

"Even those around you would be potential targets. I once had a coltfriend as well, y'know. Broke up with me because he couldn't handle the pressure from the press."

"Wow..."

Rainbow couldn't imagine it, the thought of ponies around her being pestered over and over. She bit her lip, knowing how sensitive Taciturn can be when pressured. Their horrid experience with the reporters last year was good enough of a hint that it may be a bad idea to pursue her dream. She don't want to give it up, yet... Taciturn...

"So there's no way out of it?" the cyan mare asked.

"None so far," Spitfire said with a sigh.

"Hopefully there will be one in the future. For now, all you could do was just bear with it."

Bear with it... she could only hope Taciturn has the heart to do the same.

"So, Twilight said you have something urgent you gotta tell me," Rainbow asked.

"What was it about?"

"Firefly."

The mention of her mother's name just made her heart sink. It wasn't as if she wanted to do it, but the thought of hearing her mother's name somehow just made her gut wrench up inside. Rainbow knew that Spitfire, if not everypony else around, could see her griping, though she didn't care.

"What about her?" she asked, voice dripping with venom.

"Well... she told me she had a talk with your father yesterday after our rehearsals," Spitfire began.

"Told me it has something to do with your relationship with Taciturn."

"And?"

"It may not look like it, but I think she might be considering letting you marry him."

"Really?" Rainbow exclaimed, surprised. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Just yesterday, they had one of their infamous face-offs which resulted in her being left alone and sobbing on the floor. Now, her mother suddenly decides to just let her do it? No arguments, no second thoughts, nothing at all?

"You sure about it?"

"Apparently, she was glad that you could find a coltfriend, even if it was somepony like Taciturn."

That only propelled her towards the edge of her seat. Were they really talking about her mother now? About Firefly? The Firefly, famous for all of her vocal bashes and stern orders with all four hooves encased-- no, made of iron? Was a shouting session all that is needed to convince her to give her consent? If so, she would've shouted at her mother for anything! Not that she actually would, of course.

"So... does that mean she said yes?" she asked, praying in her head.

"We're not so sure about that yet. Your parents are still discussing about it."

Spitfire watched out of amusement as Rainbow slumped back to her seat, crossing her hooves out of impatience. She certainly was Firefly in more ways than one, the Wonderbolt surmised. Even the way she scrunches up her face was an exact replica of her mother. With Taciturn placed in the picture, she was sure the couple would never have a dull day. If Rainbow ever became a Wonderbolt, she could picture them narrowly escaping the press. It would be a comical sight worth to see.

"So you're certain about this? Marrying him?" Spitfire asked again.

"I heard marriage can be hard, y'know?"

"I know, but he... Tassee, he just..." Rainbow stopped to sigh.

"Some part of me just wants to see more of him. It's like... it's like there's more to him that I haven't even discovered. Just imagine what he might do if he and my father met, or if my family would go back to his house in Fillydelphia for vacation and we would show them around, or if--"

"Or if he becomes a father."

Bulls-eye, Spitfire smirked to herself at the thought, seeing how Rainbow glanced down, fiddling her hooves with a blush across her cheeks. It would certainly be interesting, for a mare like Rainbow Dash and a colt like Taciturn Bleach to have a family. They were exact opposites in every right, yet their love... it was certainly special. She smiled at the thought of watching them strolling down the street, all eyes at them and perhaps their colt or filly prancing ahead of them, excited at the wonders of the world bestowed upon them.

"I think you two would look perfect with each other," Spitfire remarked with a grin.

"Now, it's only a matter if Taciturn would say yes on you becoming a Wonderbolt."

"I guess..." Rainbow said, biting her lip.

"Maybe if I tried my best to convince him, he would let me..."

"And if he said no?"

The answer she gave was simple. Too simple, to be honest. In other fields, Spitfire would deem the answer as procrastination, but when it comes to a subject such as love, it was certainly a viable one. Rainbow clenched her hooves, hoping in her heart that the best would come. For her and for Taciturn.

"We'll just have to wait and see."

"No fair! You went to get some cotton candy without me?"

Taciturn just munched on his sweet treat, nodding with a cheek-bulging grin etched on his face. He really was asking for it, waving the delicious-looking treat when they met up five minutes after her talk with Spitfire. Twilight and Applejack had to do their respective errands, leaving them alone once again for a stroll under the dusk sky.

"So," she began.

"How's the day been for you? The both of them treated you good?"

A stale nod, followed by a snort.

"Alright, I'm sorry I couldn't spend time with you," she said.

"It's just... I'm busy with some things these days, y'know?"

Taciturn just stared at her skeptically, letting out a harrumph.

"I mean it, Tassee," Rainbow retorted, trying to defend herself. Sure, she was downright lying into his face, but she didn't want to spoil the surprise, especially when every single piece of the puzzle was almost in place. The colt just rolled his eyes, before they continued their languid stroll down the streets of Ponyville.

The last of the booths were closing up, the vendors calling it the end of a tiring yet prosperous day. The end of the year is drawing near, it seems, yet the spirit of Hearth's Warming still lingers at an all-time high. Even the lights of the giant tree at the center of town were switched off in unison, leaving only the fading light of the setting sun to guide their way.

It was nightfall by the time they've reached home. With a stretch of her hooves, Rainbow stepped into the room, letting out a brief yawn as she trotted back to her bedroom, leaving Taciturn on the couch to finish the last of his cotton candy. She still promised herself for a complete shower, all alone without being embarrassed or anything, and a shower she would have.

Another half an hour was all it took, before she stepped out, feeling like a cleaner mare. Her gaze wandered towards the table, where their dinner, a pair of bowls of healthy salads, was already placed or, at least, only hers. Taciturn was already busy digging into his own, munching as much as he could reach with his mouth even though there was a wooden spoon conveniently placed for helping him, but instead left ignored and placed onto the table.

"You certainly are one hungry colt, aren't you?" she commented with a chuckle.

Taciturn licked the last leaves off his bowl clean, swallowing before returning her smile. With a sigh, she began her own feast, watching her coltfriend pitch his easel back up again, munching bit by bit of her crunchy carrots and juicy tomatoes. He really wouldn't get tired from painting, that's for sure.

Once she settled down the bowl on the table, Rainbow leaned back, letting out a satisfied 'ahh' from her well-fed stomach. The bleached colt, on the other hoof, had completed two or so paintings by then, though he placed down his paintbrush and palette soon after, blinking a few times at the unfinished painting.

"You're tired too, huh?" Rainbow asked, to which he nodded.

"Well, you better get some rest. We have a gallery to open tomorrow."

"Rainbow..."

"Yeah?"

Taciturn just stared at her, eyes like black beads with his white tail wagging occasionally. Rainbow would've gotten a heart attack just from looking at his blank expression, though she was quite used to it to not at least stumble over and feel her chest explode from how adorable he looked.

"What is it, buddy?" she asked again.

"Something bothering you? You can tell me, I'm listening."

One more blink, before he shook his head.

"Really?" she questioned skeptically, receiving a nod.

"Well, if you say so..."

Their biased conversation (knowing Taciturn and his method of communication) soon came to an end, before a yawn from Rainbow signal their need of sleep. She languidly dragged herself towards her bedroom, throwing herself onto the bed and chuckling once Taciturn stepped up on their bed, before settling down on his side, snuggling and sinking into the mattress.

"Tassee..." she muttered, eyes half open.

"You know how much I love you, right?"

Taciturn nodded, smiling to himself once she said that. With a grin of her own, Rainbow soon closed her eyes, hoof lazily reaching for the small lamp lit at her nightstand, looking behind her to see the colt already quietly napping, ears twitching from time to time. He wouldn't be her coltfriend soon, she told herself; he would become more than that. All she needed is time and, of course, his trust.

"Night, Tassee."

A purr.

The night was dark.

The moon was blotted by the darkest of clouds, its light forcibly turned away.

Taciturn Bleach opened his eyes. Those black, murky eyes that represent the night sky well in its mystery and refining glory as it dominates for now the realm of Equestria. He blinked a few times, trying to get used to seeing in the darkness. It wouldn't take very long, like that last time when he painted something during a blackout in the gallery, yet still he needed time.

Rainbow slept soundly, snoring occasionally beside him. She did not realize his coltfriend to be awake, which was the way he wanted it to be. With a humph that sounded like a mix of a sneeze and a sigh, Taciturn's hooves slowly and quietly reached over the edge of the bed, his eyes fixed at the nightstand on Rainbow's end of the bed. He grumbled at himself: he had to be quick and silent for this.

Slowly, he tiptoed towards the nightstand, smiling once he saw Rainbow's serene face. Being as quiet as he could, Taciturn held his breath, his hoof reaching down at the drawers. A loud snort from the mare halted her, his eyes fixed like a vulture as she shifted about in his sleep, unaware of his actions. With a sigh of relief, he quietly gripped the knob of the top drawer, wood grazing wood once he pulled it open.

There it was, as it has always been, he thought to himself, eyes glittering dully at the black box bestowed upon his eyes. He reached for the golden latch, flipping it open to reveal a hoop nestled in its red cushioned interior, its sides adorned with a patterned row of rubies and sapphire and a large diamond encrusted at the very center. His brows furrowed down upon it like it had many times before, though this time a different thought sprouted in his head.

Biting his lip, Taciturn quietly shut the drawer, creeping away from the bed and this time trotting out of the bedroom door. With a hefty sigh, he turned back to Rainbow Dash, his guardian and lover, still sleeping on her bed, still unaware of everything that had happened. His heart sank a little, his teeth sinking into his lips as he muttered once again, for the last time of the day:

"Dashie..."

The Eighth Wonder

It was quiet.

Sometimes, it can get too quiet.

With a murmur, Rainbow opened her eyes, blinking profusely as the sun glared down at her. She quickly sat up, rubbing her eyes and trying to squint through her foggy vision, though all she needed was a sprinkle of water across her face. Yeah, she thought to herself sleepily. That was it.

One splash later, she trotted back to her bedroom, all her senses brought straight to clarity. Taciturn was not there, it seems. Perhaps he was outside making breakfast or something, Rainbow surmised, wiping her face dry. He could be making anything; he learned enough varieties of dishes from both Pinkie and Applejack to serve a giant buffet. Every morning would be a surprise when that colt makes breakfast, she said to herself with a smile.

Rainbow stepped out of her bedroom, ready for whatever drool-inducing aroma to slap her face senseless and lead her straight to her favorite chef. Surprisingly, there was only the crisp, chilly smell of the winter's morning, the cold rushing through her nostrils only leading her to erupt into a sneezing fit.

"T-Tassee?" she managed to stammer before she let out another sneeze. He was certainly nowhere to be seen. His art tools were all here; the unfinished painting he had started on last night was still there, never touched or moved from where it was placed. It was quite a surprise to her; she thought he would be done with it already if he woken up.

"Strange... very strange..."

Quietly, she started frying up some eggs, tossing them about in the skittle, all the while waiting for Taciturn to jump out at her from behind, though knowing him, he probably wouldn't even know where to jump out from in the first place. Her ears strained to hear the slightest sound, like a squeak or even a purr, though she caught nothing. Where could he have gone, she asked herself. It's only nine in the morning; the gallery opens at ten!

With a worried sigh, Rainbow settled herself comfortably onto the couch, busy sawing down her knife into the yolk, severing its thin shell and crawling all around her plate. Awkwardly, she munched onto her simple breakfast, scanning around to look for at least an inkling of the colt, to no avail. Instead, she saw Tank strolling in slowly, munching on a morsel of fresh lettuce that she figured Taciturn had given him.

"Hey there, Tank," she called out to her pet tortoise.

"Looking good today! You've seen Tassee around?"

Tank shook his head no, much to her disappointment. Where would that colt have gone to at this early hour? He usually wouldn't step outside without her joining him. He'd only done that a few times so far, usually to learn a little bit of cooking from her friends or to just stop by and help them in whatever their doing. Even so, he would usually at least let the tortoise know about his departure so that she wouldn't be anxious about it.

"Where could he be, where could he be..." she asked herself. If she were Taciturn Bleach...

"Maybe... he's at the gallery? Yeah, maybe... maybe he's just getting ready!"

Without a moment to spare, Rainbow slurped up the last of her egg, setting her plate aside before zooming out of the door, snatching her scarf on the way. Her wings flapped constantly, thinly slicing through each cloud in her way as her eyes fixed onto white illustrious building standing on the very top of a hill, just a few inches away from the borders of Ponyville. For it was none other than the Gallery of White, standing there oh so grandly ever since the year before.

She landed to a halt right at its entrance, quickly trotting up to its golden-framed glass double doors. The cool air parted from her, the warmth of the gallery welcoming her presence as she stepped inside, glancing around its already lit displays. If he was here, he could be anywhere, she sighed to herself, knowing how much of a maze the gallery is. Plus, it's almost time for them to open the gallery; they would want to see their star painter there, wouldn't they?

"Tassee?!" she called out, voice rebounding through each room.

"Tassee, are you in here?!"

Silence. Dead drop silence.

"Tassee, it's not funny!" she tried once again.

"The gallery's gonna open soon! I need you here!"

"R-Rainbow?"

Rainbow let out an screech, jumping back with her heart leaping out of a chest, letting out a sigh of relief when she found out it was only Fluttershy standing in front of her. Great, she told herself. Now she's getting scared by Fluttershy, of all ponies. What's next, she's gonna run away from a basket of bananas? Become afraid of one of Applejack's pigs?

"Don't do that, Fluttershy," she said after catching her breath.

"You could've given me a heart attack."

"Oh, um... sorry..."

"What are you doing here anyway?" Rainbow asked.

"The gallery's not open yet, y'know. I still have to look for Taciturn. By the way, did you see him?"

"No, Rainbow Dash," Fluttershy answered.

"Why? Do you think he's... he's missing? Is he lost? What if... what if he was trapped in the Everfree Forest with no way out? Oh, the poor colt!"

"I don't think he would've gone there, Flutters."

With a shake of her head, Rainbow resumed her urgent search for the bleached colt, scouring section by section of the white halls of the galleries. She saw Taciturn only in a few of his self portraits, where he looks more dignified and royal than he actually is, if one disregards his family background, of course. There were a few times where she thought she spotted a hair of his mane, only to find no one there.

"Where could he be?" she asked herself, frustrated and worried.

"We don't have much time!"

"Oh, I can ask the rest to help out, if you don't mind..."

Heftily, Rainbow nodded, left alone once Fluttershy galloped out of the gallery to round up the rest of her friends. She just stared at the floor, praying silently to herself that Taciturn would show his face. She didn't matter where he went or what he's doing; all that matters is that he comes back.

"Tassee..." she muttered quietly.

"I need you..."

"The Gallery of White is officially, as of now, the Eighth Wonder of Equestria!!"

Rainbow could hardly believe her ears, just as a grandiose applause suddenly erupted, rumbling throughout the area. With a quick sharp intake of breath, she stood up onto all four hooves, trotting towards the podium where a feeble yet distinguished pony stepped down from, monocle in place and top hat reaching for the stars. With a shake of his hooves, the mare soon stepped up in his place, waving to the crowd as if she just finished her own aerial show.

"Thank you!" she said into the microphone, just as all the applause died down.

"Thank you everypony for coming. I feel honored to represent myself for the Gallery of White to have received such a title from the Canterlot Ministry. It was with the support of all of you that we were able to reach this far, so again, thank you."

Another barrage of applauding.

"How does it feel for you, having the Gallery of White titled as the Eighth Modern Wonder of Equestria?"

"I can say, I am quite surprised," Rainbow replied, blinking from every flash of the camera as she stood there gallantly, right in front of the esteemed building that is now known as the Eighth Wonder. She didn't know the gallery was to be bestowed that title; all she was told was that she was going to meet very important ponies from Canterlot at the entrance to the gallery. Nothing more, nothing less, at least, until the reporters all swarmed in, anxious to ask questions that would seem pointless to probably her. To Taciturn, it might be a different situation.

"All in all, I am happy and honored for the gallery to receive that title," she continued.

"What of Taciturn Bleach? Where is the painter?"

"Taciturn? Oh, T-Taciturn..." Rainbow began nervously, stifling a chuckle.

"He's not available at the moment. I'm s-sure he would want to show up as well."

"Is it alright if we see him, Miss Dash?"

"Oh, no, no, he can't come out at all," the mare exclaimed, shaking her head.

"You see, Taciturn has a... a fever! Yes! Hearth's Warming hay fever! Has to stay in bed! No coming out at all!"

"Psst..."

Rainbow heard it, that one faint sound calling for her over the snapping of lens and the yapping of the reporters. She scanned the crowd before her, spotting a familiar, bouncing pink mare at the other end of the sea of ponies. Biting her lip, she soon stepped down from the podium and into the crowd, wading through and pushing the reporters as she made for herself a crooked path. She knew she could've just flown out from there, but the last thing the press needs to know is Taciturn being missing.

"Sorry, guys!" she said once she reached the other end.

"Something's come up with... well, stuff, so... bye!"

Before they could chase her like the mad ponies they are, Rainbow kicked her hooves into a gallop, disappearing into the busy streets of Ponyville with Pinkie leading right ahead, strangely not saying a word about anything. They turned at every corner, the sanctuary that is Sugarcube Corner coming into view as Pinkie dived into its entrance, with her zooming in all the same. She screeched to a halt, stopping just in time and finding herself staring into a familiar face

"Just in time, Rainbow," came the frantic voice of Twilight Sparkle.

"So is it true? Has Tassee really disappeared?"

"I'm not sure," she replied with a tremble, hoping it wouldn't be the exact truth. All five of her friends were there, all worried and sharing the same thought after being gathered here by none other than Fluttershy. Rainbow knew it was her that urged every single one of them to look for the colt while she attended the speech in place of him; Taciturn was gone for far too long, and she wasn't liking it. Not a single bit.

"Got any luck, guys?"

"Pinkie and I looked around town hall and the roads around," Twilight spoke first.

"Not a single trace of him."

"Rarity and Fluttershy?"

"We've checked around our houses and those around us," Rarity answered.

"He's nowhere to be seen."

"Applejack, please tell me he's at Sweet Apple Acres."

"Sorry, sugarcube," was the answer, leading her to clench her teeth in frustration.

"Ah wish Ah've found him as well, but no luck there."

"Then where could he be?!" Rainbow pretty much yelled, slamming a hoof onto the table and making all of them jump in unison with a quiet gasp. She buried his face within her hooves, gritting her teeth while listing all the possible places he could've been. He must be somewhere around here, she tried to assure herself. Somewhere...

"You guys g-got any leads?"

"One thing we know for sure that if he left this morning," Twilight began.

"He wouldn't have gone that far. The most he would've gone too is at the edge of Sweet Apple Acres and that would be it, but he was not there as well. Then there's the chance that he might come seeking for refuge in somepony's house, but knowing him, he'll only go to a few households in Ponyville and that would be all of ours."

"So are you guys hiding him?"

Every single one of her friends simultaneously shook their heads, slightly taken aback by such a brash accusation. Rainbow planted both hooves firmly on her forehead, biting her lip forcefully at all the things that might've happened to him. He could've been flying halfway to Canterlot by now! Why would he just disappear without at least leaving a note saying he would come back? Why would he vanish, just like that without a word? Without even a goodbye?

"Where else could he have gone?" she asked.

"Nowhere in particular," Twilight concluded.

"If, however, he left in the middle of the night..."

"He could be anywhere by now if he did," Applejack retorted, finishing the unicorn's sentence.

"Ah don't wanna say this to ya, but if he left in the middle of night, he would've reached Appleloosa already. Even if we take a train there, it'll take another day. By then, who knows where he'll be?"

"He couldn't have... he... he couldn't..."

"Look, I'll try to get in touch with my brother," Twilight suggested.

"If I could get him, he'll organize a search party to help us find Taciturn, alright? He'll come down and bring out some help to start the search. If he's around town, we'll find him in no time at all, but for now we can't do anything. The most you'll have to wait until is tomorrow, Rainbow."

"But..." she began to protest.

"But he'll be long gone from here!"

"You'll have to trust the fact that he wouldn't. All we could do now is pray that he'll come back. By tomorrow, if he isn't back yet, we'll begin the search with what we have, okay Rainbow?"

Rainbow Dash didn't want to believe it. She didn't want to believe that all of this was happening: that Taciturn was truly gone, vanished without a trace. She just stared down at the floor, too distraught to think of anything else except for the white colt. Where has he gone, she asked herself. What had she done? Those were the only answers she wanted to know.

"And if we can't find him?"

A moment of silence filled the room, their nerves so tensed until they could be snapped into two. There was, however, an answer in the silence; one that Rainbow could see clearly. It was an answer she didn't want to hear and her friends never dared to say, an answer that would only tear her completely apart rather than console her. She forbade the answer to be spoken, yet if Taciturn were to never return, it would become the truth.

The first of many tears dripped onto the floor as she sat there, sniffling so quietly and yet so painfully all the same. All the rest could do was to huddle around her, unsure of how to comfort their devastated friend and only watch her cries grow louder through time. All they could do was vow to find Taciturn. To find her coltfriend.

"I'm sorry, Tassee..." she muttered, hooves clenched tightly.

"I'm sorry..."

"Tassee..."

Hope was bleak.

"T-Tassee..."

Hope was distant and cold.

"Tassee, I'm sorry..."

Hope had shriveled up like a rose in the winter.

"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm..."

Hope had been shattered like a mirror being struck by stone, every last flicker that still burned within her dying out like a candle out of wax. However hard she clutched the sheets, Taciturn would not come back. However damp her mattress will become from her tears, he would not come back. However loud she screamed his name into the black skies, even if he heard that one bit of it, he still would not come back. She knew that very well.

"Tassee, if you could just come back..."

She knew it wouldn't work because she tried. She tried it all.

"Please..."

She tried it all, yet Taciturn Bleach did not step through that door. She left it open, in hope that he would step out from the whipping winds and raging snow, wearing that large smile of his that would make her feel like it was summer. The frost had already covered a few inches from her doorstep, though the chill had since filled the room, enveloping her in a cold hell. A winter prison. Ironic, for it to be her home and her cage.

Rainbow Dash just sat there, blanket wrapped around her like a cocoon with eyes fixed deliberately at the harsh winds screaming into her face. They were futile screams lashing out at a dead mind, for a dead mind knows no fear as much as it knows no pain. Even her tears had frozen onto her cheeks, her shivering escalating with every passing minute of her sitting there defiantly against the wintry beast, her only weapon being her hope. Bleak, dying hope.

"T-T-Tassee..."

"Rainbow Dash!"

The door slammed shut. The chill of the air stopped its assault. Rainbow Dash found herself being dragged away from the cold by her blanket, finding herself being picked up and brutally tossed onto the couch. She knew it wasn't the work of Taciturn Bleach; whoever it may be, she wouldn't grace that pony with her attention. Never.

"The hell have you done to yourself..." she heard the other pony mutter, feeling another layer of garment draping over her. Warmth overcame her like a tidal wave, the chattering of her teeth stopping, her foggy breath quivering from the sudden rush of comfort. She could hear the clattering sound of the other pony rifling through her cupboards, yet she was too weak and tired to crane her neck from the blanket and look.

A wafting, appetizing aroma soon met her nostrils. Rainbow strained to open her eyes, making out the other pony kneeling down to her, hoof holding a spoon of something. She griped at first, her hatred of being fed like a small filly shining through, though she was too weak to argue. Slowly, her jaw dropped, the spoon entering and filling it with such warmth, it nearly made her squeal on the spot. That taste was distinctive; it was the mushroom soup she loved since she was a filly.

"Drink it all up, Rainbow," she could hear the other pony whisper.

"Just let it flow..."

"Th-Thank y--"

"Don't waste your energy by going all sentimental on me," the other mare snapped, silencing her.

"By Celestia, you could've frozen to death..."

"T-Tassee... I have t-to f-f-find--"

"Worry 'bout him later. For now, you'll have to worry about yourself."

Rainbow shuddered as a wing wrapped around her, reminding her only more of the colt. She tightly clenched her eyes shut, not wanting to let a single tear leak, to no avail. A gentle hush from the other mare wasn't enough to prevent her from sniffling, though she felt her heart tingle when she did so.

"Tassee wouldn't want to see you like this, Rainbow," the mare said.

"He would want to see you safe and sound, warm in your home and away from the snow. What would be the point if you froze to death and he comes home to find you like that, huh?"

"B-But..."

"He'll come back," the voice assured Rainbow, whose head started to spin, vision fading to black.

"I swear in all my heart he'll come back..."

"I promise..."

Author's Note

Just a quick note.

The next few chapters might be delayed from its schedule, so expect Chapter 9 to be out later than usual.
Sorry, guys. Came up with some flu. Can't exactly keep my eyes open for now. :pinkiesick:

Anyways, hoped you guys like the chapter!

Joining The Ninth Platoon

"You sure that's enough?"

"It's the most we could get so far," Twilight answered.

"We're making more as we speak, so don't worry about it."

Rainbow just nodded glumly, leafing through a stack of posters her friends had prepared for in the morning in Twilight's library. She picked out one of many, holding her breath at the portrait of Taciturn, picked out from one of his many paintings around the gallery. Above it was the word 'MISSING', emboldened to catch the eye of passersby on the roads. His name was at the bottom, along with a description of him -- white body, mane and tail, with a pair of black eyes -- along with some of his credentials.

"If found, please notify the closest guard immediately," she read the last line aloud.

"I... I don't know if this would help..."

"We have to try everything we can, Rainbow," the unicorn insisted.

"Who knows? Maybe somepony found Tassee in Cloudsdale or something and they can recognize him through this poster! You'll never know what might happen."

"So how are we going to send these out?"

"Simple, Applejack," was the answer.

"We'll put the first stack of posters around Ponyville. The rest, we'll send it to the surrounding towns and ask some of their townsfolk to help put those posters up. After that, my brother will take care of things from here."

"Speaking of which, where's your brother?" Rarity asked.

"I do realize he can be rather busy and all, but I believe he should be here soon, should he not?"

"Oh, I hope nothing bad happened to him..." Fluttershy said.

"Maybe the train got delayed. The tracks could've frozen from last night's storm."

A shudder rippled through Rainbow once her friend said that. She could still remember it clearly: the frost coating her body, the icicles hanging from the tips of her wings, the ice that dug down into her veins and robbing her of her warmth... if it wasn't for that mare, whom she had a hunch on her identity, she wouldn't be here right now.

"So..." Pinkie began.

"Does that mean we would have to wait a little longer?"

Twilight let out a disgruntled sigh. "Yes, Pinkie. We would have to wait a little longer..."

"But we don't have time to wait!"

All of their eyes were upon Rainbow Dash, her friends surprised yet understanding her reaction. Every second they spend, there's a chance that Taciturn would be further away from their reach. She figured he would've reached Fillydelphia by now, where the Bleach estate still stood proudly. It would be one of the places that he could be seeking refuge from, though knowing Taciturn, he wouldn't stay there for long.

"Isn't there anypony else who could help us?" she asked hastily.

"Anypony aside from the Royal Guard?"

Before any of them could muster a reply, a gentle rapping of wood captured their ears, their heads turning towards the door. Excusing herself, Twilight trotted across the room and turned the knob, surprised to see the ponies that stood at the other side. their famed leader flashing a grin.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything important," came the voice of none other than Spitfire.

"Is your brother here yet, Twilight Sparkle?"

"No. There's a chance that his trip to Ponyville might be delayed," she answered.

"You must be leading Platoon Nine, right?"

"Wait, what?" Rainbow asked, trotting up towards them.

"You're part of the Royal Guard, Spits?"

"Platoon Nine of the Guard. That's what the Wonderbolts are part of."

Her captain flashed a smile, having seen how her eyes glittered at this new discovery.

"When we're not performing our air shows, we're a section of a reconnaissance team, which means we do scouting when it comes to dire situations. We're usually rarely called to duty, but I could see why we're needed for this mission."

Rainbow gave a sullen nod, looking back up only when she felt a hoof on her shoulder.

"Trust us, RD," Spitfire said, grinning.

"We're gonna do our best to find Tassee, okay? Don't worry about it."

"So you guys know what to do?"

"Got our orders this morning," she answered Twilight, before turning to the rest of the Wonderbolts.

"Alright, guys! You know what to do! Remember all the locations that we've arranged this morning. Keep your walkies on at all times. If any of you see the colt, give the aerial signal, like we planned. Dismissed."

"Yes Ma'am!"

All of them watched as the Wonderbolts took off one by one, with Spitfire being the last in line to do so. She would've taken off already, though she was missing a partner. It wasn't by chance that it happened, however; she was given an order from her superiors to come here and get one. With a smirk, she turned her gaze back to the ponies behind her, mind only fixed at one. She had heard about how much that mare wanted to help; now's her only chance.

"Well?" she called out to that one mare, surprising her.

"You coming or not, Rainbow?"

"W-What?"

"Don't tell me you're just gonna sit here and watch us find your coltfriend, rookie," Spitfire snapped.

"The Rainbow Dash I know would already be searching throughout the whole of Equestria just to find one colt. Isn't he important to you? I thought you said you loved him!"

"I do!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed.

"It's just... he must've ran away because of something, right? What if it was my fault? What if I'm responsible for him running away in the first place?"

"All the more reason you're responsible for bringing him back."

"But... but he might not come back with us--"

"Listen to yourself!" Spitfire yelled.

"All it takes to break you is for Taciturn Bleach to vanish! You're saying all of this as if this was actually your fault when you have no idea why he ran off in the first place! If I were you, I don't care how long it takes for me to find my coltfriend! I would still look for him, no matter how long it takes, rookie! You think you can become a Wonderbolt with that kind of behavior?! Well, I'm telling you straight to your face that you can't and if you keep this up, you might as well forget having Taciturn as your coltfriend as well!! Now, are you coming with us, or not?!"

Rainbow blankly stared at her superior, mouth agape. Never had she heard such harsh words coming out from a mouth aside from her own mother's. Even her friends could not comprehend the suddenly-brutal behavior the Wonderbolt was sporting, yet the things she said... as much as it stung her heart... well, the truth always stings.

"Thought as much," Spitfire muttered after a moment of silence.

"We'll notify you when we find him."

"No!" she shouted suddenly, regaining her composure.

"I'm going with you."

"In that sorry state, Rainbow Dash? You might as well stay at home!"

"Make me!" she yelled back, glaring right into the eyes of Spitfire, Everypony else watched with their breaths held taut as the two stared at each other, faces unwavering of determination and hooves clenched, almost as if they were about to begin a wrestling match right there.

"I got three good reasons why I should go," Rainbow added grudgingly.

"One, Taciturn's my coltfriend, two, I don't ask other ponies to do my job and three, you guys are getting too old for this."

That last one made her friends gasp, but Spitfire broke out a grin instead, handing her a satchel.

"There's the Rainbow Dash I know. Alright, we'll meet the rest later for lunch. For now, you and I are responsible for scouring through the southern parts of town. Capiche?"

"Got it, Ma'am."

Rainbow turned back to her friends, who were all giving a smile, their hooves raised. All she could do was give them a salute as they each wished her good luck, before she faced forward once again and stepped out into the open, the howling wind whipping her mane about. Spitfire was already in the air, beckoning her to come along, to which she quickly obliged, fanning her wings out.

"Hold on, Tassee..." she muttered to herself.

"Dashie's coming for you..."

"Town Hall. Rendezvous at Town Hall for lunch."

All the 'Roger's and 'Yes, Ma'am's crackled from their radios as Spitfire and Rainbow Dash settled down in front of the stately building, already unpacking a few hay sandwiches from their satchels. They quickly settled down onto the snow-covered ground, sinking their teeth into their quick lunch just as the rest of the Wonderbolts gathered around them. There were some other ponies there as well; ponies that she did not recognize. They seemed more laid back than her idols were, though still they shared the same determination and hardheadedness her idols possessed.

"Remember, Platoon Nine isn't actually the Wonderbolts," Spitfire said.

"We're just part of a larger team."

"So how come you guys are here when Shining Armor and the rest of the guard haven't arrived yet?"

"We're pegasi. Enough said."

Reasonable explanation, Rainbow thought to herself, starting on her second sandwich.

"So what do you guys do when Equestria's in danger?" she asked her Captain.

"Do you just fly around and scout or do you actually kick flanks like the rest of the Guard does?"

"Balance of both," was the answer.

"Whatever situation we're in, we see what solution it demands. These days, it was more scouting than butt-kicking. Back then, when your mother was the captain..."

"Wait? My mom? As in Firefly? You mean she was in the guard as well?"

"What did you expect? She was Captain of the Wonderbolts, right?"

Spitfire shuffled about in her seat, sighing quietly with a glance up in the sky.

"Back then, times were harsh. You can't go around without getting shot at. Firefly spent more time going out on missions than doing air shows, even cutting our training abruptly just to prevent some sort of siege from happening. The Wonderbolts were known better as a fighting squad more than a flight show team at the time, to the point where some of us speculate we had more glory in the past than the present day."

"But that's partially true, right?" Rainbow said.

"That there's more glory to defending the country and such?"

"Glory comes with pain, death and suffering, Rainbow. Signed, sealed and delivered with no chance of a warranty," the mare answered grimly.

"The Wonderbolts were formed to stop such things from happening. Never mind the glory that you'll get; you could probably watch your partners killed in action. I can't imagine what Firefly had been through, seeing that she's the captain, but she fought hard so that we won't. I will not let her efforts be in vain."

Rainbow blinked at that. She knew Spitfire respected her mother greatly, yet the way she said it almost made Firefly look like some savior to ponykind. Her father used to tell her tales about the polished golden medals that she earned during her lifetime, even though she was never a fond believer when it comes to her mother's achievements, but after hearing that, perhaps they might be true after all.

"Speak of the devil..." Spitfire muttered suddenly, giving a wave.

"Hey there, Commander."

"Afternoon, Spits," answered the mare known as Firefly, marching up to them.

"Getting attached to my daughter these days, aren't you?"

"No, ma'am. Just doing what needs to be done."

"If you say so. I need some time with her."

Rainbow just watched as Spitfire stood up, nodding firmly and trotting away, leaving mother and daughter on their own. With a sigh, Firefly settled next to her daughter, who shuffled in her place, unsure of what to say. There was no sign of emotion on her face, looking colder than stale bread on a winter's day, yet it brought some strange sense of warmth to Rainbow's heart.

"What's the matter with you?" she snapped suddenly.

"Stop swooning over me like I'm your coltfriend. Seriously..."

"M-Mom...?"

"What is it?"

"Yesterday night... it was you, wasn't it?" Rainbow muttered.

"It was you who saved me from freezing to death, right?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Firefly asked, no less sympathetic than she usually was.

"You think I'm gonna sit back after finding out my daughter's coltfriend just kicked himself out of his house? Sure, like that's going to happen. I'd rather have you than that insurance money your father signed you up for."

Rainbow couldn't help but giggle at that, though her mother just stared at her.

"N-Nothing," she said, waving her hoof.

"It's just... the way you say things..."

"Offensive yet amusing at the same time. Yeah, that's what your dad always says. One of my quirks."

With a sigh, Firefly leaned back, unwrapping her first sandwich of the day.

"You never told me what's your deal with the pony we're looking for," she said suddenly.

"How long has it been? You and that Taciturn colt?"

"Just a year."

"Seriously?" Firefly exclaimed with wide eyes, munching on her lunch.

"Like seriously? Just one darn year and you're marrying him? Damn, marriage these days just keep getting younger and younger, huh? Your dad and I took three years of dating for him to get to his knee and propose to me."

"Really?" Rainbow asked with a chuckle.

"Three years?"

"Your dad's a coward, but with a mane like that, I'd reckon he wouldn't run far."

Both mother and daughter burst out of laughter, the former nearly choking on her sandwich.

"At least you inherited that and not his cowardice. I always... envied that mane of his. Looks like more of a symbol of hope than my dull blue locks. You're a lucky mare."

"To be honest, I'm not so sure," was the glum reply.

"Taciturn just disappeared, Mom. Without a word. He never told me that there was anything bothering him, yet... what could've made him leave? What didn't he like?"

"We don't have to answer everything, Rainbow," Firefly said.

"What matters most now is that you get your coltfriend back. We're all finding Taciturn just for you, RD. Usually, ponies wouldn't ask all nine platoons of the Guard just to find one missing pony, y'know, but he's a special one, that Taciturn Bleach. Plus, he's your coltfriend, after all."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you so nice to me all of the sudden?" Rainbow asked.

"Just a few days ago, you were shouting at me, asking me to forgive you. Now you're... you're just saying all these things like you're trying to cheer me up or something."

"Hey, just because bad things happen doesn't mean you can't let it slide."

Firefly swallowed the last bite of her sandwich, letting out a misty sigh.

"I know I can be very, very harsh sometimes. There are things I've said to others that were actually just things I said simply because I was ticked off. That means that no matter how much I told my daughter how messed up she was, I would still love her. She's still my daughter, after all."

"Geez, Mom." her daughter chuckled.

"Now you're the one getting sentimental."

"Situation demands it, so I shove it in the face." she simply replied with a sly grin.

"So this Taciturn pony... he seems like a good colt."

"And not a liar? An over-pampered foal?"

"That was my temper talking," Firefly answered firmly in her own self-defense.

"I was hired to manage the shows and get the team together, not to see him paint a banner that would only appear in the show for thirty seconds. But enough of that, Taciturn Bleach... I could tell from the way he stares at you that he really, really loves you. If you asked me for my consent, I'd say just give it a go."

"R-Really?"

"Really, although I'm not too sure why you need my consent in the first place. I mean, if I were you, I'd marry him already. Screw what mommy and daddy has to say."

It only took a minute of pondering -- a minute which Rainbow spent by nervously fiddling her hooves -- for Firefly to guess the reason behind it. Immediately, the older mare wore a malicious grin, crossing her hooves.

"No way..." she muttered.

"So it's like that, huh?"

"W-What's like that?"

"You wanted my consent," she began her conclusion.

"Because you wanted to prove to me that I would say yes, no matter what, right?"

"What do you mean?" Rainbow exclaimed, biting her lip.

"I-I don't understand--"

"Oh, nopony knows my daughter better than me, Rainbow," Firefly answered slyly.

"If there's one thing I know you are full of, it was that darn pride of yours. You're so proud you would expect your own mother to honor your decision, even though there's a great chance she might say no."

"I just thought you would totally like us being together," came the confession.

"You wanted me to be with a colt so badly that I thought you might be happy when you see the two of us like this. I wanted to show you that I could find a colt that could be perfect for me on my own without your help. Even though we didn't exactly meet formally, I still love Taciturn, no matter what anypony might say."

"Figured you might say that," her mother remarked, grinning from ear to ear.

"You have your father's determination, I can give you that. The silly colt that is your dad kept going after me since high school, even though I shouted to him that we will never be together. He was a bigger idiot back then compared to now, which was pretty much a world record, really. I remembered I told him that the moment I get married to him would be on the day I die. By Celestia's bolstering flank, I was certainly wrong about that bit."

"You can say that again."

"If you think Taciturn's the right colt for you, go for it," she continued.

"I'm not stopping you. You're a grown mare now, Rainbow Dash. It's time for you to make your own decisions."

Rainbow smiled at those words. To hear her mother said that was almost like a dream come true. She had tried to prove to her mother for so long that she could handle things by herself. Those words rang the chimes in her head, her hooves clenched with determination. All she has to do is find Taciturn, then everything would be perfect.

"Just to add, Rainbow," her mother suddenly said.

"If Taciturn really leaves you in the end, don't you dare come crying back to me. I swear I'll kick your flank off until you're in the Badlands like I did with your father, you hear me? If you want proof, you could ask him to tell you a bedtime story about how he nearly got his flank chewed off by a two-headed dragon. Bet that would be the joke of the year..."

That's her mother alright, Rainbow couldn't help but chuckle.

"Nothing would go wrong, this time," she whispered to herself.

"I swear to it..."

"Nothing..."

Author's Note

Still sick, but feeling way better than yesterday. Manage to get everything done by today, so here you go!

Happy 2014 everybody!! :pinkiehappy:

Tenth Mile Away

"Any sign of him?"

A crackle. "Negative, Ma'am."

"Fleet, any luck on your side?"

"Nothing, Spits," came the answer.

"It's all just plain snow over here. No sign of the missing colt."

Spitfire let out a despondent sigh, trudging through the snow-covered fields while shaking the snow off her wings. It has been a day since they've begun their search for Taciturn Bleach, though even after hours and hours of searching across the valley from the southernmost part of the Everfree to the roads up to Canterlot, their efforts remained fruitless. On a side note, Rainbow Dash was nowhere to be seen as well.

A faint sound of flapping made her look over her shoulder, raising an eyebrow and holding back a smirk as the rainbow-maned pegasus stumbled right in front of her, panting and wheezing heavily for air. Hooves shivering, she lifted herself up, giving a frail salute and gasping out:

"Reporting for duty, Ma'am!"

"You're late, as usual," Spitfire answered, handing the mare her respective satchel.

"You know that with every minute we spend, Taciturn Bleach gets farther away, right?"

"Sorry, Ma'am."

Rainbow Dash kept all her protests to herself. She didn't want to trouble Spitfire, knowing how angry she would be. She didn't mean to oversleep; if she were there to see her tossing and turning around in her bed last night, talking to herself in her sleep like Tank did, she'd probably understand.

Her eyes were still damp from the fresh sobs she let out in the morning, having seen Taciturn's unfinished painting still standing there, never moved since its creator's disappearance. Has it really only been three days since he was gone, she wondered to herself. Somehow, it felt a little longer than that.

"So where're we heading today?"

"Up to an outpost in the north," the Wonderbolt said, putting on her goggles.

"It's about ten miles away from Canterlot, which means it'll be one heck of a trip to take, I'd guarantee that. We'll then scout along the northern borders of the state, see if we could find any trace of him."

"W-Why stop there? Tassee could've gone farther than that."

"Not a chance," she assured.

"Soarin's got the weather schedule from Cloudsdale. Notified us that a storm system has amassed a week ago. When Taciturn disappeared, it was approximately at the border and still is, apparently. I've checked its wind speed and at the range its at, it will blow away even the most experienced flyers, so there isn't a chance that he would advance without getting thrown straight back to Ponyville. In a few days, it'll start to move south but would weaken an hour before it would reach Ponyville, so it won't pose as a threat."

"But he could've went in another direction from here, right?"

"Don''t worry. The Guard is positioned at all times around the borders of the Canterlot state. If any of them spotted him around the border, they would've taken him in and notify us immediately about it."

Quickly, Spitfire put on a brown woolen sweater, zipping her satchel back.

"Gotta get ready to face the storm," she said.

"It'll be good if you take some precautions as well. Also, keep on your goggles on all times; the snow can play tricks to our minds."

With a nod, Rainbow unzipped her satchel, taking out, much to her surprise, a black leather jacket, with a pair of goggles tucked into one of its pockets, peeking out just a little. She was quick to put them on, giving her a bit of warmth as well a smart sense of adventure. Maybe she should get one of these jackets one day.

Soon enough, they were aloft, flying straight ahead as the winds whipped harshly against them, snow pelting onto their skin and goggles. Their wings sliced through the crisp air, diving and rising from the merciless onslaught. Rainbow could feel her teeth chatter from the gnawing frost, her shudders coming from the screaming of air in her ears and the frigid touch of its claws, pulling her harder and harder with each flap of her wings.

"Be careful, Rainbow!" Spitfire shouted from behind her.

"The winds are getting too strong! We need to get out of this storm now!!"

The mare turned back and gave her a hasty nod, gritting her teeth as she pushed harder and harder against the wind. Eventually, they soon spotted something in the distance; a silhouette of a square structure, standing tall like the monument of a valiant hero against the beastly winter snow. There were lights from within, welcoming them into the sanctuary of stone, safe from the storm that was only beginning to tear them apart.

"Open up!" Rainbow yelled, hoof slamming onto a single, large wooden door.

"I said, OPEN UP!!"

The doors slid open, its panels groaning while the familiar face of her mother popped out and stared back at her. Both Rainbow and Spitfire were soon yanked in, the mares stumbling clumsily into the embracing warmth of a small fire. Surrounding it in a circle were the rest of the Wonderbolts, all of them already started on their lunch.

"What were you mares doing out there?" Firefly howled, grimacing at them.

"You could've been blown off, for Celestia's sake!"

"Apologies, Ma'am, but we didn't know the storm would head south so soon."

"It's not moving anywhere," Soarin' said.

"Just received word from Cloudsdale that the storm's growing and will continue to do so until the next hour. The outpost would just be at the very edge of it, but once it moves south, the winds would get rougher and unsafe for flight. We would have to stay here for the night unless we move out now."

"You know that once we move out, it means we'll abort the mission?" Firefly snapped.

"We can't afford to do that, not when the rest of the guard are doing their duties as well. We'll just have to brave it out and see what happens from there."

Rainbow watched as the ponies nodded firmly, though she had the keen eye to spot a weary one or two who were frustrated at her mother's decision. She wanted to go back as much as of the rest do, yet for finding Taciturn, she yearn for it more than everypony else would. Who knows? There might be a chance that Taciturn would come up here and seek for shelter from the blizzards outside.

"Remember that the storm would diminish by tomorrow," her mother continued.

"We will resume our search in the morning. For now, all we can do is wait."

All they could do is wait... she didn't want to believe that it was the only way, not when Taciturn could still be out there. Even though he might not wander off the borders of Equestria, there was still that snowstorm to worry about. She didn't want to imagine it: his voice screaming her name over and over in the howling wind, begging endlessly to come and save him.

A familiar pink wing wrapped around her shoulder snapped Rainbow out of her horrendous daydream, the mare realizing the trickle of tears falling down her face. With a shudder, she rested her head against the chest of her mother, wishing quietly in her head for his safe return.

"Tassee..."

"Please..."

"You going to eat that?"

"W-What?"

Rainbow blinked a few times, staring at Spitfire for a moment, before glancing down at the pie in her hooves. It was still there, fresh from the hooves that gave it to her, the aroma still strong enough to kick in her taste buds, yet it looked bland, like everything else. Her life had been a dull, colorless stain ever since Taciturn left, her world spiraling into an invisible drear, with every nerve on her body gambled onto the return of her favorite painter.

"Oh... uh..." she stammered.

"Y-Yeah, I'll eat it in a sec. Just got some things to think about..."

"You've been thinking about your 'things' for ten minutes now."

"Eleven."

"Eleven, thank you, Soarin'," Spitfire rephrased.

"Look, that doesn't matter. What matters is that you stop sulking and eat your dinner. You're gonna need the energy to keep yourself warm for the night, Rainbow."

"I know I should, but..." Rainbow stopped to sigh.

"Tassee... he may be still out there..."

"We promised we'll look for him tomorrow and we're going to keep it."

Reluctantly, Rainbow reached for a spoon, slicing into what would be the first of many pieces of pie she would eat tonight. They were a little warm, no doubt having been cooled by the freezing temperatures outside. The storm was worsening at every passing minute, the winds shrieking louder than banshees and clawing fruitlessly at the stone walls, sounding more like the bark of a tree being ripped apart by a chainsaw.

It wasn't only hell to the ears. They could feel the ice from beneath the stone floor, trying to rob them of their warmth with its hands reaching from the cracks. The air as well had thinned, leaving a certain few panting quietly and being tended by others. They could even taste the winter; it was like mint without the taste, bland and frigid. Already there were a few fires put up to fight against the cold, but in this dungeon, they all had to suffer.

"Damn this weather..." Firefly muttered. trotting up to her daughter with a subtle shiver.

"It's cold enough to even freeze Soarin's addiction of pies. He would've been hopping about on cloud nine if he wasn't so busy on keeping himself warm right now."

Rainbow wasn't surprised, having already tucked her hooves into the pockets of her leather jacket. She wondered how long the rest of them would be able to last in this fortress of an outpost. They could survive for the night, with the sufficient resources they still had and all, but she'd still prefer the comfort of her home. It was like how she felt when she headed back to Taciturn's family estate up in Fillydelphia, though she didn't know why.

She couldn't understand what was weird about it. Her mother is here, after all. Spitfire and the rest of the Wonderbolts are here right now in this room. She could've been learning about aerial tricks, play some sort of campfire game with them or even crack some jokes, yet there she sat, not wanting anything to change.

"Still no word from Cloudsdale about the progress of the storm," Spitfire told Firefly, inadvertently also catching Rainbow's attention.

"We don't know if it's getting worse or if it has done its job."

Firefly just grumbled. "Don't tell me those weather ponies are slacking off again. If they are, the first thing I'm going to do tomorrow is to march off to the weather factory and snap the manager's neck."

It would seem this night just keeps getting better and better.

Rainbow stood up, marching towards one of the few windows the building has. She bit her lip, seeing the snow pelting on the window pane like a volley of bullets wanting so badly to break through. To think that Taciturn may be out there, braving the onslaught of the blizzard... her chest ached at such a disturbing thought.

"It's almost nine," she heard her mother talking to the rest of the ponies.

"All of us have to get some rest for the night. We've all earned it."

There she stood, staring out the window and into the obscure white, unsure of what to think or what to do. She wanted to sleep like the rest does, her fatigued, worn-out body saying the same thing, yet her mind just focuses on getting him back. It's been a long time since she last saw his face; that one face where she just wants to squeeze and stretch to see the funniest things, with his bright grin and his mysterious black eyes. What of his hooves twirling across the canvas as he finishes yet another painting? Or perhaps that voice of his, blooming sweetly with the innocence of a child?

"Tassee..." she muttered his name out again.

Then she saw it.

Rainbow's magenta eyes widened, unable to believe what she saw. There, trudging through the snow, almost as if born from it, was a silhouette, blurred by the hellish storm with its scarf billowing about. She squinted her eyes, watching the figure coming closer and closer, its shape emerging into that of a pony. What made her gasp was when she saw the scarf, the mare unable to believe her watering eyes at what she just saw.

It was black. Plain, woolen black without any extravagant design or whatsoever. Anypony could have owned such a simple scarf, yet somewhere in her heart, Rainbow knew there was only one in the entirety of Equestria that would wear a scarf of that dreary color.

"T-Tassee... Tassee's here... He's here!!"

Quickly, she whirled to the rest of the Wonderbolts, all of whom stared wide-eyed after her declaration. Spitfire gestured Soarin' towards the window, while Firefly hastily trotted up to her daughter, furrowing her brows.

"You sure you saw him?" she asked.

"Rainbow, answer me! You sure it's him?"

"It is him, now open the door!!"

None of the rest dared to move an inch, fearfully gazing at the erratic Rainbow Dash. With a frustrated groan, she galloped towards the front door, pulling its edges as she opened it bit by bit, the hellish wind already screaming in her ears. The snow soon riddled her, making her shield her eyes once she finished opening the door, taking the first firm step into the white darkness.

"Anyone coming along?" she shouted back.

"Rainbow, think for a second what you might be doing here!" Firefly snapped.

"The storm's too strong for any of us!! None of us would make it!!"

"I'M NOT GOING TO LET TASSEE DIE OUT THERE!!"

Even the howling wind seemed to shirk away from Rainbow's voice, the mare panting with a few tears already flying into the snowstorm. Grudgingly, Rainbow glared at the blizzard, her hatred more directed onto the rest of the platoon. Her coltfriend was out there and yet they sat there, waiting for the storm to pass.

"If all of you want to stay here, then FINE!!" she declared.

"I'm going alone!!"

"Rainbow--"

"Stop, Mom!! Just STOP!!" she cried, giving her last glance back.

"You, of all ponies in this room, know how much Taciturn means to me! I'm not going to let him die out there when there's still a chance to save him, even if it was only a small chance! Taciturn's my coltfriend, and if there's one thing I learn about my time with him, it's that I promised to myself I won't leave him behind."

"No matter what..."

Before Firefly could stop her, Rainbow took off, quickly disappearing into the snowstorm. The commander of the Wonderbolts then just stood there, never feeling so helpless in her entire life; she just saw her daughter dive into the storm that she herself dared not. All she could do was turn to Spitfire, who was quick to know what she wanted to hear.

"Soarin', did you see our target?" she asked frantically.

"Quickly, Soarin'! Can you confirm that Taciturn Bleach is out there?!"

"Negative, Spits! He's not there!"

"You've ever wondered...?"

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings harshly, feeling the pain of the wind shredding across her entire body, her breaths like furious pants forming clouds of mist that were quickly thrown off into the white oblivion. She strained to keep her eyes open to face the oncoming snow, blinking occasionally as she did so; she cursed at herself silently for forgetting her goggles.

"What would've happened if we've never met?"

She was in the depths of hell, looking around in the pits she had thrown herself into. There was nothing in sight to suggest that he was ever here; if there were hoofprints in the snow, Rainbow was sure the wind would've blown away all trace of it. The scarf he wore was nowhere to be seen either, which only made her ever the more anxious in finding him.

"You might be somewhere in a hospital for the rest of your life, and I'll... well, I'll just be here, y'know."

Gritting her teeth, she pushed forward against the raging snow, fueled by the desire to see his face once again.

"Hold on, Tassee..." she muttered to herself, squinting her eyes.

"I'm coming for you, buddy..."

"Wondering if there was somepony out there for me that could protect me like you did..."

Suddenly, Rainbow let out a scream, her left wings suddenly pulled back harshly just as intense pain shot through the nerves around it. She felt herself being grappled by the wind, tossing and turning through the air, the pounding in her head coming to a crescendo.

"That could make me happy like you would..."

Her breath stilled, the frost rippling throughout her body as everything in her head fell into a silence. She felt herself helplessly being hurled over and over, taken by the wind on a nightmarish rollercoaster. Tears flew from her face and into the wind, her eyes clenched tightly shut as she waited for her impending crash into the snowy ground.

"You ever got that feeling?"

In a split second, Rainbow felt her head slamming into the ground, pummeling down some sort of hill before screeching to a stop, back arching in pain. She grunted and groaned, the pain forcing out her breaths and numbing her body as she strained to crane her neck up, to no avail.

"Why would you think I might leave you here, Tassee?"

"T-Tassee..." she weakly groan out.

"Tassee, pl-please... please come back..."

"I'm the Element of Loyalty and I don't leave my friends behind..."

Rainbow Dash laid there, panting harshly as the snow enveloped her, her warmth diminishing slowly. She would've laughed at herself if she could, knowing how stupid she was. There was no scarf there, she told herself, her tears flowing down. It was all just her, wishing too much for Taciturn to appear until she believed he was there.

"Tassee..." she muttered, wishing he could hear her.

"You were never there, were you?"

"You know how special are you to me? You're my coltfriend, for Celestia's sake!"

"W-Why did you leave?"

"There's no way in Tartarus I would leave you. Ever."

"I-I promised I... I won't leave you, Tassee," she continued, starting to sniffle.

"So why did you leave me instead? What did I do wrong? Tell me... T-Tell me... please..."

"Would you promise me something?"

"Don't leave me..."

There was no one. No one to hear her frantic screams, no one to hear her weakening cries. Rainbow was being swallowed by the blizzard, voice consumed by the screaming winds as she weakly reached a single hoof out into the air. She wanted to imagine herself back in bed, with Taciturn over her, that extended hoof now on his cheek while his adorable black eyes staring down like an innocent puppy... oh, the purrs he would make when she caressed it gently.

"Promise me if there was ever something bothering you, you gotta let me know, alright?"

Rainbow just sighed to herself, lying there and accepting her fate. Perhaps she might never know what she did wrong that started this in the first place. The hoof she raised grew limp, crunching the snow beneath as it fell to the ground like a withered plant. The last few tears had already formed a small trail of crystals down her eyes, her body now shivering violently, the leather jacket she was wearing doing no good. Cruel was fate, for her to live through a snowstorm the year before and die in the next.

The rest of the Wonderbolts would be worried sick by now, not to mention her mother even; Firefly would've smacked her back to life if she could find her. Spitfire would probably do the same, perhaps even encouraging her mother to kick her flank. Her friends in Ponyville would've been praying for her safe return, waiting to see her gloriously carrying Taciturn or vice versa, at least. It stings, the fact that she would disappoint them in the worst way possible, but all pain subsides in the tides of death.

Oh well, she chuckled weakly to herself, vision fading to black as she clutched onto her last bit of dignity.

At least Taciturn wouldn't be here to see this.

Author's Note

Sorry for the one day delay!!

Had to rewrite many parts. The first draft didn't feel right.
Anyways, two more chapters to go! Since both chapters send off the trilogy, I'm trying the best to make it look at the very least satisfactory, so they might be delayed as well.

Get ready to get disappointed if the next chapter isn't out tomorrow :twilightsheepish:

The Eleventh Hour

White...

"Rainbow Dash!!"

It was all so white...

"She needs immediate medical attention! NOW!!"

There was a certain form of white to this, for this white gave her a sense of peace, a feeling of warmth.

"Get her to the hospital... make sure she makes it!!"

It filled the world she was in; a realm of white that watched over her like a guardian. She reveled in it, wanting never to part with it, never wanting to open her eyes if she could stay here. The sensation of longing was a familiar one, almost as if... as if somepony was there, taking care of her in her slumber.

"Rainbow Dash, you hold on right now!! You hear me?!!"

Suddenly, it flashed.

"Condition stable!!"

The white flashed; it blacked out for a quick second and then returned.

"Two, three... CLEAR!!"

Another flash, followed by another. Soon enough, it was flashing black and white rapidly enough to murder one with epilepsy. She placed her hooves on her head, gritting her teeth with wide eyes as everything around her collapses, her paradise disappearing in just a flick of a switch.

"CLEAR!!"

Now, it was black.

"CLEAR!!"

Pure, undiluted, endless realm of black, where she was truly alone. There was no comfort like that given when she was in the white; the last of it were being robbed. Her breaths shivered from the cold of the atmosphere she was forced into, her heart beating slower and slower...

"CLEAR!!"

Black... it reminded her of his eyes.

"CLEAR!!"

His eyes... the black eyes of Taciturn Bleach.

"CLEAR!!"

Rainbow Dash opened her eyes.

She laid there, not daring to move, not daring to speak a word. All she could do was look up at the white ceiling, tinted a bright hue of orange from the sun outside. Something in the air told her she was not in Ponyville; it was too sophisticated to be the town she knew as her home. Her hoof trailed towards her head, wincing a little once she touched it, finding it to be bandaged. Her wings as well were wrapped together in the plaster linen, forbidding her from sating her need of flying.

A glance to her left and she found herself staring at a clock, its hands telling her it was eight in the morning. With a grunt, she sat up, hooves weakly straining and making her wince in pain, the blanket now covering only her lower body and hind hooves. She scanned the pristine room, stopping when she saw a familiar figure standing at the corner of the room, flipping the pages of what seems to be a report clamped onto a clipboard.

"Uh, s-sir?" she called out to him.

"Mind telling me where I am?"

"Still ever the same, eh Miss Dash?"

The moment the stallion turned around, Rainbow immediately recognized him. From his azure coat and his waxen blue mane with a few grayed locks to the way he flaunts in his hospital attire like an aristocrat, he was the only pony that she knew would wear that elegant smirk and also the one pony that pushed the responsibility of guardian to her in the first place. Even though they've barely met these days, she could still remember his name quite clearly.

"Doctor Martingale!" she exclaimed.

"W-What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm a doctor, aren't I?" he retorted with a chuckle.

"Why wouldn't a doctor be in a hospital, I wonder?"

"I'm in a hospital?"

"Canterlot Royal Hospital, to be exact," the doctor continued.

"Your associates brought you here. Quite a dramatic entrance too, I say. Burst through those doors suddenly and galloping down the hallways. One of them -- Spitfire, is it? -- came up to me suddenly, begging for me to have a look while the older pink mare was making a ruckus, slamming one of the doctors against the wall and such. Never had I seen a more violent mare in my life. She nearly gave me a heart attack, that's for sure!"

"Ah, of course... sorry 'bout that..." Rainbow cut in.

"That pink mare... that was my mother..."

Silence.

"Oh."

"Right."

"So she..." Doctor Martingale stopped for a moment.

"I can say, once I think about it, you do have her attitude."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, not much. Sorry for calling her violent."

"Well, you were pretty much right anyway, so no biggie," Rainbow said, grinning.

"She did worse before, I think. My dad used to say she strangle minotaurs and tackle dragons for a living. You must have heard of her before. Firefly? Ex-captain of the Wonderbolts?"

"Ohhhh...! Firefly! Thought she struck me as familiar."

"So you know her?"

"Better. I've treated her."

Rainbow's eyes grew slightly larger at his declaration, to which Doctor Martingale could only sigh.

"Back in the day, she was a frequent patient of the hospital, always coming in with a sprained hoof or a broken wing, not to mention the more serious, life-threatening injuries she faced. Your mother was always the one making crude jokes with other patients and the staff and finding trouble in the hallways, but otherwise, she was a good mare."

"Yeah..." the pegasus said solemnly.

"Yeah, she is..."

Another wave of silence came over them, with the clattering of Doctor Martingale's tools being the only sound left in the room. Rainbow Dash's gaze soon fell, heart sinking slightly from the hole that was left by the one pony she missed. It was her desire to see him -- her hope that Taciturn would be back -- that landed her in the hospital, only to see his former guardian tending to her. Surely the doctor had an idea what happened.

"Doctor Martingale..." Rainbow began reluctantly.

"You know what happened, don't you? Between me and Tassee, I mean..."

"Certainly."

"And... y-you're not angry at me?"

"I was, initially," the doctor admitted, turning back to her.

"Those posters of Taciturn were all over Equestria. Even in Canterlot, there were so many of them, It'll be hard to miss out on what happened. I don't know what you did to Taciturn or what thoughts he had harbored about you, but at least you made the effort to look for him, even going as far as to throw yourself in a snowstorm just to do so."

"But I don't understand..." Rainbow said, shuffling in her bed.

"He just left without saying a word, without telling me what went wrong..."

"Perhaps it was something that happened during the relationship that made him leave. Taciturn can be very sensitive on even the smallest things, things we normal ponies usually overlook, so it wouldn't be anypony's fault if they don't know what caused him to do so."

Doctor Martingale soon poured for her a glass of water, handing it to her as he continued:

"Taciturn was always an unpredictable colt, and I'm not judging him based on the way he paints. You'll never know what he's actually thinking inside, mostly because he never speaks like how we do. If he ever has something to hide, unless he tells it to them, no other pony would ever know what it may be. Therefore, the only way to know why he left is by--"

"By talking to him," Rainbow finished his sentence.

"But I couldn't even find him. The whole of Equestria couldn't! How would I know the reason then?"

"You have to let it go."

"Let it go?"

The mare perked up her head at his words, a little perplexed at his suggestion. Judging from how somber Doctor Martingale looked suddenly, she was sure she wasn't going to like what it actually meant. Slowly, the doctor marched up to her, settling down in an armchair placed next to her bed with a grim sigh.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Doctor, what do you mean?"

"You have to let go of him," he paraphrased, the words now searing into Rainbow's heart.

"You have to let go of not only the secret reason behind his departure, but also the fact that he would be returning to you. Taciturn may not come back, Rainbow, and you may never see his face again. Now, as much as it hurts to say this to you... Taciturn had probably moved on. I believe it's time for you to do the same."

"H-He will come back," Rainbow stammered, holding back her tears.

"He will... just wait and see..."

"And if he doesn't?"

That was it. That was the last straw. After a minute of silence, the first sniffle came from Rainbow's mouth, as did the first tear that stained her sheets. Doctor Martingale could only close his eyes, helpless as the mare quietly sobbed, body shivering with eyes clenched shut. Each tear slowly crawled down her cheek, yet she made no effort to wipe them off; it felt better somehow this way, letting it all out.

Her mourning came to a stop as Rainbow breathed in, quivering slightly once she exhaled. She accepted a glass of water and a small handkerchief from the doctor, setting them aside on the nightstand for now. Retaining her composure, she glanced up at Doctor Martingale, gulping quietly.

"So, Tassee's really gone, huh?"

"I believe so."

"What am I going to do now?" she asked.

"Should I just get rid of all his things in my house? I just, what, throw away the paintings that he made and all his art tools? What about the gallery? Who's going to take care of that? Should I close it down or what?"

"Moving on might not mean completely getting rid of everything about him," was the answer.

"My advice is keep it. All of it. Keep his things, keep the gallery open. Perhaps, one day, he might have some change of heart and actually come back to you. If he doesn't, at least you could still remember him."

"But it hurts to... to remember him..."

"It hurts harder to forget. You do not want to forget somepony, especially if it's the pony you love."

With that being said, Doctor Martingale stood back up, retrieving the clipboard he placed onto the nightstand. Rainbow just watched inquiringly as he paced around the room, flipping through a few pages of the report, before finally saying:

"Apparently, your condition has been fine so far, so you can take an early leave from the hospital. Your mother had booked a ticket for the first afternoon train back to Ponyville. I believe Spitfire is waiting at the station right now, if I could recall correctly. She had everything packed up for you. You can leave when you're ready, Miss Dash."

Rainbow stifled a weak grin, a little glad inside to be able to go home.

"Thanks, Doc."

"Not a problem. Always helping those in need, t'is all."

Carefully, Rainbow lifted herself off the bed, striding towards the door and out of the room. At least she had the chance to go home, she thought to herself; she would've perished in the snowstorm and never see her family and friends again. She sighed, beginning her slow trip to the train station with only one thought left in her head that left her doubtful at first, but soon fueled her determination.

"You're on your own, Rainbow Dash."

"Got your scarf, RD."

"Thanks, Flutters," Rainbow replied with a grin, wrapping her magenta attire around her neck. She would've went and gotten it by herself if she could, but considering that her house is hovering almost six feet away from the ground and her bandaged wings, she knew there wouldn't be much of a chance. Even so, she would've gotten somepony other than Fluttershy to help, though her friend insisted it anyway.

The two pegasi, along with Spike, were in Twilight's library, passing the time as they wait for the lavender mare herself, who promised she wouldn't take long. It was no surprise that everypony would be getting ready, for tonight was the night where the anonymous gift-giving session would proceed. It was all a matter of luck, really; you would just have to snatch one of the many presents underneath the giant tree in front of town hall and hope it would be worth it.

"I can't wait to see what I might get!" Spike exclaimed happily, clapping his paws.

"If I'm lucky, maybe I'll get a bag of gems! That'll be the best gift ever!"

"Relax, squirt," Rainbow chuckled.

"We haven't even stepped out of the house yet!"

"I know! But... ooh, I'm so excited!!"

"Done, guys!" Twilight called out joyfully, taking with her a long list and a quill, to which her two pegasi friends and her dragon assistant raised an eyebrow at that.

"What? Gotta make sure nopony gets left out from this!"

It took only a second before they left the library, stepping out into the last wintry night of Ponyville. The lights and Hearth's Warming decorations were marveling, the spirit of the season once again rising to a crescendo with ponies all around, chattering and laughing jovially. Rainbow would've done the same thing, though her head still couldn't sweep away her desire to see Taciturn's face one again.

Spitfire was the first of her friends to notify her of her gloomy expression, the Wonderbolt being at the train station to send her off. The cyan mare would've wanted her captain to accompany her on her trip, though she knew the Wonderbolts had a show to perform at Canterlot tonight. She could remember clearly the banner Taciturn had painted for the show back at the gallery-- stop it, she hissed at herself. You were supposed to enjoy the night.

"You alright, Rainbow?"

"Y-Yeah, just fine," was her answer to Twilight's question.

"Just had some minor stuff bugging me a little."

She knew both Twilight and Fluttershy knew that the 'stuff' she was talking about was anything but minor, judging from their skeptical looks. Head held high, Rainbow marched along with her friends, the great pine tree in the distance getting closer and closer. It looked beautiful than ever, with all of its decorations in place and a large luminous star perched at its very tip, shining bright like a lighthouse beacon for all of Ponyville to see and luring them in, promising them the gifts in its embrace.

Soon enough, they've reached their destination, where a crowd of ponies had circled around the trees, waiting eagerly for so long now. Rainbow watched as Twilight waded through the sea, letting out a lot of 'excuse me's and 'pardon me's in her desperate attempt to stand onto the podium standing in front of the tree. For most, it seemed to take forever, but it was only a moment that she finally stood there, smiling widely down at the crowd.

"Hello everypony!!"

A wave of cheers erupted, reverberating throughout the whole of Ponyville. Even Fluttershy let out a quiet, little 'yay' beside her. Rainbow, however, just watched, smiling warmly at the energy all around her. She would've joined the crowd if she was in higher spirits; for now, she just wanted to stand back and admire the large crowd of ponies, all beaming in their Hearth's Warming mood.

"Finally!" Twilight continued.

"The moment we've all been waiting for all Hearth's Warming long has arrived!!"

"Howdy, pardner!"

"Applejack! Rarity!" Fluttershy exclaimed, Rainbow turning to see her two friends heading up to them.

"How nice of the both of you to come!"

"Hello there, dear," Rarity answered happily.

"The festivities certainly were engaging, were they not?"

"Ya bet my hoof they were!" Applejack exclaimed, all of them laughing with the exception of Rainbow.

"Hey sugarcube. You alright?"

That was the fourth pony to ask her that, aside from Spitfire, Fluttershy and Twilight. Tail swishing nervously from side to side, Rainbow just gave a terse, quiet nod, forcing out a grin even though she knew Applejack had the keen eye to see through a lie.

"If yer say so, RD," she muttered.

"Anyways, did the gift hullabaloo thing started yet? Ah bet there's something worth gettin' in all those boxes."

All of them could agree on that last bit. There could be thousands of possibilities that each gift could bestow, which only made them ever the more anxious to gallop straight towards the gifts, pick the largest of the bunch and rip them apart like carnal animals having a wild, messy feast.

"Alright!" Twilight finally announced after her small speech.

"Let the session... BEGIN!!"

With a loud 'ding' of a bell, ponies soon rushed towards the tree, their hooves grabbing the first of many presents. Some trudged deeper into the crowd, the chromatic boxes standing around like monuments waiting to be taken away from the cluster. Others simply grab the first thing their hooves could reach, some unwrapping on the spot to see what they've won in their internal lottery.

Her friends were quick to join the fray, though Rainbow preferred to just trot in slowly with a shake of her head; a first for the cyan mare. She glanced around, smiling at the many happy faces she could see as she strutted a little closer to the tree. Pinkie was one of the many happy ones, her loud, unmistakable gasp catching the pegasus's ears when the pink mare opened her present to reveal a unicycle, before quickly heading out to give it a test drive.

Another glance to the left made her smile wider when a colt, surrounded by his parents, opened a present so familiar, she would be damned if she didn't remember what was inside. For inside it was a toy train set; the same one that Rainbow had bought specifically for this gift-giving session and wrapped it up herself. She couldn't help but giggle at his happiness, her heart tingling with warmth and pride for a job well done.

All the excitement around her reminded of her need to find her own present as well. With a sigh, Rainbow began her lone hunt, searching through box by box while her choices start to diminish, the remaining ponies all taking their new gifts. She had came across many boxes, some big and tall, some short and small, though none of them seem to be able to catch her eyes.

Then, she saw it.

There, swaying in the slight breeze as it hangs from the tip of one of the branches of the tree, was a box neither too big nor too small. It was the size of an orange, but what mesmerized her interest was that the box itself was black with the ribbon it was tied with a pristine, snowy white. Rainbow could only cock her head at the strange colors: it was almost as if somepony didn't want this present to be discovered.

Without a second thought, she snatched it up before anypony could grab it, slowly unwrapping it. As she did so, she speculated what might be inside. Maybe it was some sort of cipher that could probably reveal a map to some sort of treasure like the ones Daring Do would usually find! Or perhaps it was some ticket to the upcoming Wonderbolt show in Manehatten; she never did see them perform there live before.

What she saw made her jaw drop.

Right there, in her hooves, was another, more familiar black box. This one, however, was equipped with a golden latch, the sight of it making her blink for a second. Could this really be... she stopped for a moment, her mind racing for an answer. Why would this... this box, of all the boxes in the world, be here?

Reluctantly, she opened it, gasping when she saw it once again. Nestled at the very center of the red cushion was none other than the hoop; the same one she bought back in Fillydelphia during her and Taciturn's Hearts & Hooves trip, with its side adorned in a patterned row of alternating rubies and sapphires and at the very center, a large diamond.

"W-What.. What is this..."

Rainbow nearly dropped it, staring down with wide, bewildered eyes at the present she found. This wasn't supposed to be here, her inner voice cried out in protest. This was suppose to be back in the safety of her home, placed in the drawer of her nightstand! Why would it be here? Furthermore, who made it into a present, a present that any random pony could just take home for absolutely no reason?

"Who..." she muttered to herself, sweating from her anxiety.

"Who could've put this here?"

"Dashie?"

That voice struck her body, mind and soul senseless; that voice that melted her heart like butter with its sweetness. Immediately, Rainbow turned around, gasping loudly once she saw a familiar white face staring back at her, his black eyes sparkling a little. He suddenly broke out into a peachy, adorable grin, his large wings flapping ecstatically once she called out his name:

"T-Tassee?"

"Dashie!"

"TASSEE!!"

Immediately, Rainbow galloped up to him, dropping the hoop in the snow as she hugged him tighter than ever. Taciturn just squealed happily, wrapping his own hooves around her just as she started sniffling in his embrace, the shoulder her head was resting on now turning damp and chilly from the weather. Within a few seconds, Rainbow broke the embrace, glaring at the colt with her hooves clenched ever so tightly.

"WHERE THE HECK DID YOU GO?!!" she shouted, earning the attention of everypony else.

"YOU JUST LEFT ME HERE, ALL ALONE!!! YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I WAS WHEN I KNEW YOU WERE GONE?!! YOU KNOW HOW... HOW HARD WAS IT FOR ME?!! I THOUGHT YOU LEFT ME, TASSEE!! I THOUGHT YOU DIDN'T LIKE ME ANYMORE!!"

A whimper, not out of guilt, but out of protest.

"I WAITED FOR YOU, Y'KNOW THAT, TASSEE?!! I WAITED FOR YOU!! I CRIED ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT, WISHING YOU WOULD JUST COME BACK!!! I NEARLY DIED JUST TO LOOK FOR YOU, TASSEE!! WHY... Why..."

Rainbow broke out sobbing, unable to scream anymore as the rest of the ponies gazed at them. She fell to the floor, crying there like a miserable child in front of Taciturn. He suddenly reached out to lift her chin, halting her sobs for a moment once she saw him smiling back. Turning back, Taciturn picked out from behind what seemed to be a letter, handing it to the mare insistently, prodding her chest with it.

"Y-You... Y-You want me to read it?"

A nod.

Sniffling and wiping some of her tears away, Rainbow opened the letter as stated, her breath shivering.

"Dear Rainbow Dash," she began reading.

"It took me hours and hours to come up with something, before I finally decide to write this letter strictly for you, so that you may understand what I'm trying to say. For the last few days, I left home because I wanted to think about things between us and where we might go from here."

The mare looked up at the second, glancing back down only when Taciturn nudged her to continue.

"Since last year, we had a lot of good times together. I still remembered the time you first introduced me to your friends to the first time we..." Rainbow gulped, "we k-kissed. They were some of the best moments I ever had in my life. If I ever had the chance, I would go back and do it all over again. Then there was that time we went to Fillydelphia for my father's funeral. I believed that was where you bought the hoop, since I remember seeing it on display at one of the shops. To be honest, I accidentally found it while looking for my paintbrush. It was from then that I knew you wanted something more from me, that you wanted me to be the stallion that will forever be by your side."

"Then Hearth's Warming came. I thought it'll just be another holiday to celebrate, but when you kept talking to our other friends and made me stay with them, I knew straight away that you wanted to do it. That was why I left: because I didn't want you to do it."

Rainbow stopped, unsure of what to think so far, before continuing:

"Don't be mistaken, you were a brilliant mare. Each day, you would give me your bright, happy smile, which makes me smile in return. Every time, you would tend to me, making sure I was alright and happy in every way possible. There are a lot more things to say, though I'll leave it as it is. What was important was that you were the one thing that kept me going throughout the year and, with all of that and so much more of the unmentioned good things in mind, I didn't want you to propose... because I want to do it."

The cyan mare gasped, nearly dropping the letter once she saw Taciturn pick the hoop up, wearing a sheepish grin as he knelt down on one hoof, raising the ring up to her. Tears start to form around the edges of her eyes, her voice stalled at the last sentence of the letter.

"Dashie..." it said.

"Will you marry me?"

"Y-Yes!" she exclaimed loudly, dropping the letter.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!!!"

With tears of joy, Rainbow threw her hooves around him, laughing happily along with the colt. Every inch of despair in her heart was whisked away in an instant, the mare cupping his big cheeks together, before planting her lips against his into a kiss, fiery with passion and pleasure, the pains of the past immediately washed away.

Everypony else cheered, applauding at the reunion of the couple. Immediately, the rest of her friends gathered around them once they broke their kiss, eagerly chatting with her as she chuckled, wiping her tears away. Taciturn gave his signature grin, happily fanning his tail about once Rainbow leaned her head against his chest, the two finally glad to be back together. She held her breath, unable to hide her awe as the white colt slid the hoop up her hoof, staring at him once he was done.

"Tassee..." she whispered.

"Thanks... for everything..."

His reply was expected, yet it filled the dark emptiness in heart with a warmth like no other.

"Dashie!"

Author's Note

Managed to get this done at the last minute!
For some reason, this was longer than the other chapters. Oh well :applejackunsure:

Anyways, next chapter is the last one!

On The Twelfth Day Of Christmas

"Rainbow Dash!"

"F-Five minutes, mom..."

"Rainbow!"

"Just five more... f-five more..."

"Rainbow Dash, wake up now or I swear your flank's going back to the hospital!!"

With a groan, Rainbow poked her up from the blanket, eyes straining their best to open with her mane a gloriously colorful heap of a mess. She really hoped her mother would just let her nap for at least five minutes like Taciturn would, but it seems the morning wouldn't last long in the Dash household. Put the blame on the family's love for speed, she said to herself with a sigh.

"Look at you!" her mother exclaimed.

"You look like a darn piece of trash!"

"Well, what did you expect? I just got woken up by a blow horn."

"Oh, that? No, that was just my feather falling onto the floor! Perhaps it was a little too soft to wake you up? Now, get yourself ready! You don't want to be late on your wedding day!"

Firefly gruffly left the room with a snort, leaving Rainbow to sigh, a smile edging up her lips. Today was her wedding day, the day she was going to get married after only eight hours of being engaged to Taciturn. She sighed to herself, chuckling quietly; perhaps they were actually taking it all too fast, but she didn't want to wait, and neither did Taciturn.

Gleefully, she jumped from her bed, prancing out of the door happily to see her parents outside at the dining table. Her father, Rainbolt Dash was there, munching greedily on his breakfast with a hoof raised, welcoming her in. Her mother looked more annoyed than happy instead to see her out of her bed, knife sawing rigidly into the toast she had prepared for herself and for the family. Giggling, Rainbow jumped onto the open chair, hooves pattering in place as she licked her lips.

"Hey there, kiddo," Rainbolt said, grinning proudly.

"Better chow your toast down quick! Today's your special day!"

"Whoa there! I'm not going to clean up if she messes up the table, Bolt."

"If you're not, then I'm not going to give you that massage you wanted tonight."

Rainbow held back her laugh once she saw her mother's darkening frown, before the older mare's lips formed a smirk, her eyes literally glaring daggers at the smug grin etched on Rainbolt's face. The cyan mare never knew how her father was so good at pacifying her mother with his words, which made it all the more entertaining for her to see her parents engage themselves in a disagreement. She remembered Firefly telling her about how her father was a coward, but from what she was seeing right now, it didn't seem like it.

Her breakfast was a quick yet clean guzzle; in a split second, Rainbow hopped off her seat, trotting happily back into her room with her mother following right behind, sighing quietly while she closed the door behind her. The younger mare was already digging into her closet, picking out from the clutter a special attire that both mares had decided the night before, after the Wonderbolts' show was finally over.

The wedding gown.

It was, like all wedding gowns, white, with the hem painted in the colors of rainbow, descending from red to purple at the very bottom. The waistline was a bright magenta, with the portion above it sprinkled with golden glitter, sparkling in the sunlight like stars in a night sky.

Rainbow soon slid herself in the garment and started to twirl about it, a little excited as she settled back down onto her messy bed. She looked over her shoulder at her mother, who was leaning against the door, crossing hooves with an eyebrow raised inquiringly. A jerk of her daughter's head made Firefly elicit a sigh, the pink mare trotting up towards her and reaching for the brush.

"You're lucky it's your big day."

"It's not a big deal to brush my mane, right?" Rainbow retorted, feeling the bristles smoothing the wayward hairs down on her mane.

"Plus, you used to do it all the time when I was a filly, remember?"

"Yeah, until I decided you looked weird with a clean mane and that you should stick with the messier hairdo."

"Not my loss, that's for sure."

Rainbow watched patiently from the mirror her signature mane being shaped and shifted into a ponytail by her mother's surprisingly delicate hooves, held tight by a white ribbon. Of course, she was only one halfway done as Firefly split her hair into an equal two, starting to intertwine one over the other and forming the beginning of what the cyan mare realized to be a braid.

"You sure he's not going to leave you this time, right?" Firefly asked suddenly.

"I don't want my daughter to go diving into another snowstorm just to make sure he comes back."

"He wouldn't leave me again, mom. I'm sure of it," Rainbow clarified, sighing once she saw the reflection of her mother giving a look, finishing the last knot of her braiding.

"Look, he sorta asked me about what happened to my wings and I told him the truth. After that, he promised to not simply leave me and that was it. Also, since when were you this concerned about me?"

"Hey, I'm your mother, for Celestia's sake! I have every right to be concerned about you!"

"Alright, alright!" Rainbow chuckled, putting two hooves up.

"I'm just joking. Don't have to take things that seriously."

"It ain't a joke to me, y'know. I nearly lost you in that storm."

Before Rainbow could muster up an apology, Firefly hushed her, her hooves firmly placed on her daughter's shoulders.

"But bygones be bygones, right? All that matters now is that you get ready for the wedding to get to. He's back, he gave you the hoop and you gave the yes. Now it's your turn to seal the deal."

Both mother and daughter hugged each other, the former taking care not to squeeze Rainbow's wings.

"Thanks, mom," Rainbow whispered into her mother's ear.

"Go knock 'em dead for me, silly filly," Firefly said, kissing her daughter's forehead and letting her go.

"Twilight said she'll meet you at the entrance. Said you wouldn't miss her balloon from here."

With a parting wave, Rainbow quickly galloped out of the house, Firefly watching from the door, smiling warmly with crossed hooves. Her husband soon came out as well, his hoof placed around her shoulder as they watched their daughter rushing to her wedding, the gown flailing about.

"All grown up, huh?" Rainbolt remarked.

"Man, just yesterday, she was a little baby filly."

"Kids grow up fast these days, Bolt," she muttered.

"Sometimes a little too fast..."

"We could've gone with her to the wedding, y'know. At least send her off like proper parents would."

"You know we can't. I have the Wonderbolts to manage and you have a reputation to maintain."

A moment of silence, before the stallion spoke:

"Okay, maybe I screwed up a little bit on the snowstorm schedule--"

"I would sue you for hurting our daughter if I wasn't so happy now," Firefly said, frowning.

"Calling in sick from managing the weatherponies while your wife and daughter gets stuck in the storm... man, sometimes I don't even know how you became the boss of the factory."

"Simple, really. I worked my way up to the top of the mountain!"

Rainbolt held his sheepish grin when she shot a glare, brushing his mane back and keeping his cool.

"It might be better this way," he remarked, earning the confusion of his wife.

"You know, the two of us not being at our daughter's wedding? Just give the kids some time alone by themselves and stuff like that while we old ponies hang around here."

"Anything could happen to her, Rainbolt. Anything."

"But we know she's in safe, responsible hooves," Rainbolt added, a sly grin starting to form on his face.

"Just like how you are in mine. Come on! Admit it, you know you are!"

"S-Shut up."

The stallion let out a deep laugh, just as his wife started blushing a faint red.

"But honestly speaking, I trust that Taciturn can take care of her," he said.

"Even if he couldn't, she's at the age where she could take care of herself. She even saved the world a few times with her friends, just like you did back then. Protecting Equestria from all the monsters in the world... she's doing the same thing that you did. I'm sure she can handle it just fine."

A smile crept up to Firefly's face once her husband's words sank in, the mare holding his hoof hopefully. She didn't really called her actions back then protecting Equestria, but she did battle with creatures that were considered a threat to the glorious nation. The fact that her daughter was doing it made it feel like Rainbow was continuing the legacy she herself started... certainly a chip off the old block, she chuckled to herself.

"Yeah..." she muttered.

"Of course she can..."

"Are we almost there?"

Taciturn Bleach nodded happily, cradling the blushing Rainbow Dash in her hooves like a little filly as he flew back up to their airborne home underneath the glowing moon, taking care not to injure her bandaged wings. She didn't want to get carried about like that, yet with her wings in its current state, she didn't have much of a choice. Both of them were still wearing their wedding attire, Taciturn in a black tuxedo and Rainbow in her dazzling gown, ever since this morning; the fact that they were still in them while he carried her back home only made it a little more humiliating for the mare.

Gently as he could, the colt soon settled his new wife down, smiling happily once she let out a sigh of relief, planting a small kiss on his cheek. With a giggle at his reddened face, Rainbow pranced back to the bedroom, laying herself down onto the bed with a relieved sigh. It's good to be back home again.

She was soon out of her wedding dress, hanging it with a grin up in her cupboard before strutting towards the shower. It was certainly a stuffy dress, yet however glad she was when she got out of it, it would certainly be a memorable experience of their crusade throughout Ponyville; after all the preaching, the kiss, the cake, the bouquet throwing and other wedding stuff, both of them went around town, flaunting as they were congratulated in their 'Just Married' status. There will never be a chance that might happen again, so why not make the most out of it?

Of course, the ceremony itself was anything but boring. All of her friends were there to congratulate them: there were her fellow Elements of Harmony, along with Spike, Big Mac and the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Shining Armor and Princess Cadence were present as well, mainly to bless their love be everlasting. Aside from that, Spitfire was there (she had somehow convinced her mother that she could skip practice for their next show) as well as the sisters Cloudchaser and Flitter. Doctor Martingale was surprisingly invited as well, finally reuniting with Taciturn and giving him a big, congratulatory hug. It was certainly a memory worth cherishing, Rainbow thought to herself.

The sprinkling of warm water on her skin made her hiss out of satisfaction, her eyes closing with her hooves running across her mane. She hummed in pure delight, letting herself immerse in the feeling of the water crawling down her skin, cleansing her of her problems away.

A pair of hooves wrapped around her from behind, surprising her with a gasp as Rainbow looked over her shoulder, smiling when she saw Taciturn's innocent looking face staring back at her. He was panting lightly, his cheeks red, which was all the mare needed to know. Turning herself towards him, Rainbow immediately mashed her lips into his, water running down their faces in a passionate tango of mouth to mouth, both wrestling for control in the shower. The heat of the moment made Taciturn's wings flare out, wrapping around her as the kiss grew deeper, his tongue eventually breaking in. Instinctively, the white stallion slowly pushed her towards the wall, continuing the fiery kiss with one hoof now running down his spouse's trademark mane, his head brought closer by a hoof around it.

"T-Tassee..." Rainbow moaned lightly once she could gasp for air.

"You have no idea how much I love you..."

"Dashie..."

With a giggle, the mare couldn't help but let out a single tear leak out of her eye and crawl down her left cheek, making no effort to wipe it away. At first, Taciturn thought it was just one of the water drops from the shower, but when she started sniffling, his eyes quickly widened. He nudged her hoof, whimpering softly, though all the mare did was chuckle.

"N-Nothing, Tassee," Rainbow said with a dismissive wave of her hoof.

"It's just... I can't believe we're married already..."

Taciturn let out a sigh of relief, before nodding amicably. With a lighter, quicker kiss, the pair soon exited the shower, wiping themselves dry with their respective towels. Rainbow followed Taciturn out of the room, settling down onto the couch and watching as he picked up the paintbrush, trotting back to the easel where his unfinished painting still stood, unmoved for five days already. Silently, he continued from where he left off, each stroke leaving its mark. All she could do was watch in awe when it reaches its completion, her jaw dropping in a quiet gasp.

It was a painting of the both of them, their cheeks playfully yet tenderly nuzzling against each other with grins wider than the expanse of the night sky. Both their eyes were glittering with only joy and happiness inside, which Rainbow could feel from a slight tingle in her heart. She soon started to giggle as well, letting it all overcome her as she settled onto the couch, her gaze turning to the hoop she had been wearing since the ceremony. Taciturn scurried to her side, staring into Rainbow's eyes with his dandy little grin on his face.

"You really are a charm, you know that, buddy?" Rainbow remarked, playfully skimming his mane with her hoof. All he could do was squeal at her touch, purring lightly once he felt that hoof ran down his back, stroking it gently as if he was a kitten. Snuggling closer into her embrace, Taciturn rested his head onto her hoof, the newlyweds relishing once again the moment of silence enveloping their home.

"Hey Tassee?"

The colt looked up at her marefriend, black eyes glimmering with curiosity.

"You ever thought about it?"

"Dashie?"

"Having children?" she answered, to which Taciturn just blinked.

"You know, me and you, walking side by side with a colt or filly getting ahead of us."

Another blink, before he gave a shrug.

"Would you prefer a colt or a filly?" she asked.

"If I had a colt first, I would want to have a filly next. Don't want the little guy to get lonely, y'know. He would have somepony to play with and, well, we would have more weight on our hooves, but I hope we'll manage... maybe I'll have to ask mom about this..."

Taciturn just stared blankly at her, unsure about the idea of children. He nudged her hoof, earning her attention just as he glanced away, shuffling about out of discomfort. It was only after a moment of thinking that Rainbow finally realized what he meant, her cheeks dashing a faint scarlet.

"Oh, I-I'm not s-suggesting anything, Tassee!" she declared, chuckling sheepishly.

"It's just... I'm kinda interested about what would happen if we have foals. Like, for example, what do we name it if it was a filly? I mean, as much as I want to, I can't just name them all Rainbow, can't I?"

The stallion just pondered for a moment, before he finally said:

"K."

"K?"

"K."

"Tassee, what are you talking about?" Rainbow asked.

"I'm thinking of a few names here and all you give is a 'K'?"

Taciturn shook her head, instead pointing at her mane. Upon seeing her blank expression, he rolled his eyes, rushing off and coming back in a split second. Rainbow cocked her head, bewildered when she saw him holding a carrot in his hoof, pointing once at her mane and down to her carrot.

"Uh... you want to color a carrot?" she guessed.

A frustrated shake of his head. Taciturn then raised the carrot to his right eye, almost as if looking through it like a telescope, then stopped midway to point at her mane, then at the carrot.

"Um..." came her second guess.

"You... want to paint the inside of the carrot?"

The white colt just snorted. Once again, he placed the carrot in front of his right eye, this time rotating it slowly and firmly, his face making a mock expression of awe. For the third time tonight, he then pointed at her mane, then at the carrot, repeating the one letter just as everything clicked together in her head.

"K."

"Oh!!" Rainbow exclaimed, hooves tapping excitedly onto the couch.

"K for kaleidoscope! K! I get it now..."

A nod.

"So that's what you want to name our foal?" she asked, to which she received an enthusiastic nod.

"Kaleidoscope Bleach, or Kay Bleach, for short... huh! Not bad, Tassee. Not bad..."

Taciturn gave a wide, proud grin just as Rainbow petted his head, smiling jovially while the name attached itself in her head. Of course, when it comes to naming her foal as her whole, she was basically only half done.

"What if it was a colt?" she asked, making him think.

"You know, I was thinking Chrome... Chrome Bleach... sounds a little modern, don't you think?"

The colt just wrote his suggestion out on a piece of paper; he didn't want to go through all the frustration of the charades he had to put on to make her get a name all over again. Immediately, Rainbow nodded thoughtfully once she saw the name he wrote, a little amused and drawn in by it.

"Panorama Bleach," she read it aloud.

"Or Pan, as in Peter Pan... both this and Kaleidoscope sound pretty sophisticated to me. Then again, you are one sophisticated pony to understand, aren't you?"

Taciturn nodded happily at that, almost treating it as if it was a compliment. With a chuckle, Rainbow Dash rested her head on the couch, sighing with delight as her new husband draped his large, cozy wing over her, the warmth making her hum out of satisfaction. She let out a brief yawn, realizing for a moment that they were on the couch once again; it was becoming quite a habit for them to do so, it seems. Nevertheless, when it comes to comfort, she wouldn't mind, as long as Taciturn was there.

"You know, don't you?" she asked suddenly, wanting to tease him again.

"Who's my most favorite painter in the world?"

Instinctively, Taciturn began to open his mouth, though he stopped suddenly to ponder, instead giving a different answer.

"Tassee?"

"Yep!" Rainbow declared, hugging him tighter.

"It's certainly you, Tassee, and it will always be you."

With a grin that could light up three Equestrias at once, Taciturn snuggled a little closer towards Rainbow, her head comfortably buried in her chest. She felt his hooves wrapped around her form, treating her like his favorite doll with extra care when his hooves meet at her bandaged wings, the thought of him doing so sketching a smile up on her face.

In the tranquility of the night, the two laid there, dreaming about their past, their future and of course, their promise at being together. It had been a year's length of a journey, where they both hit the summits and chasms of life, yet their love still stood strong. Rainbow dreamed a sweet dream that night, where she and Taciturn were trotting down the street together, with a small foal prancing ahead of them. She couldn't tell if it was a 'Panorama' or a 'Kaleidoscope', yet she could see their foal inherited Taciturn's trademark grin, warming her heart all over again.

Perhaps that sweet dream may one day come true, as the couple silently hoped. Or perhaps Taciturn may not like the idea and ran away again, prompting Rainbow to travel into the Badlands just to rescue him from the clutches of a few dragons. If it did come true, perhaps their child would wonder why Taciturn behaved as he did or wonder why Firefly was so harsh when treating them, with both parents struggling to explain why. Perhaps then, that Rainbow would be a full-fledged Wonderbolt, performing alongside Spitfire and the rest of the team while Taciturn would be a world-class painter, sought after by many for his intricate works and his smile voted as 'The Face Of Equestria' or something along those lines. They would then travel the world together, seeing sights not many had seen, or they might stay in Ponyville, continuing the lives they were already living.

Nevertheless, there were so many endless possibilities that could happen to both Dashie and Tassee, though from all of them, one can agree that they all shared one thing in common:

That is another story.

Author's Note

And that marks the end of the Rainbow Dash x Taciturn Bleach trilogy!!

Thanks to everypony who liked, commented, favorited, etc, especially those who had stuck with the trilogy ever since last Christmas!!
All of you guys are awesome!! :rainbowkiss:

Hope you guys enjoyed the story as a whole! :pinkiehappy: