Rainbow Dash felt the air tug at her mane as she sped through the sky, leaving a trail of rainbows behind her. She cursed to herself. Even though it was the early morning the paparazzi were all over her.
She'd just been training in the Wonderbolts private gym and had hoped that it would be too early for anypony to be up. Sadly, she was mistaken, and now she was paying the price.
She felt the sweat build up again as her wings pumped, trying to evade the hordes of fans and journalists chasing her. Her house was just up ahead.
She took a quick look behind her and sighed in relief. There appeared to be nopony there, but you could never be sure. She slowed down a bit then dived, slamming down in front of her house. Luckily there was nopony around. Now, if only she could find her key and get safely in without being found by the press, then her life would feel perfect.
Rainbow Dash grappled with her saddlebags, looking desperately for her key. For some annoying reason it always seemed to end up in the bottom of her bag when she most needed it.
She stood there on the doorstep for a few moments, looking like a fool and trying to regain her composure. She kept waiting for that fatal scream of a fanmare noticing her - then, this would all be over. She'd be surrounded by paparazzi, and giving autographs to ponies until her mouth ached and cramped up. Even though it was early in the morning, there would always be somepony lurking outside her house.
She peeked in her saddlebags again, and then finally spotted a glint of silver hidden beneath her flight goggles. She smiled with triumph and held in an outburst of joy, worried that it might alert somepony of her presence. She grabbed her key and inserted it in the lock. With the door finally unlocked, she glided in, safe from the journalists and photographers that would soon be crowding round her house.
She dropped her saddlebags on a hook by the door and looked around the spacious hallway, almost a room in itself although it was sparsely decorated.
The house was big, though not as grand as some houses in their Canterlot neighborhood. The floor was white marble and there was a wide staircase leading up towards the higher floors. While it certainly looked impressive, there was just one problem Rainbow Dash had with the house: it was empty.
There wasn't a sound to be heard apart from her hoofsteps clicking on the the marble. This sent a shiver of disappointment down her spine - a feeling she was used to nowadays, but it was still sharp and childish and the most unpleasant thing in the world. It felt a bit like choking, but without the nasty bruises. Just the pain.
Rainbow Dash sighed. Too long now had she been coming home to an empty house, with no familiar warmth in bed beside her, and no partner to settle down next to on the sofa. But this early in the morning, and Rarity was already gone? That just rubbed her the wrong way, even if their relationship had already been shaky.
Rainbow Dash headed into a glamorously decorated living room and curled up on the plush purple sofa, using her wings to keep in warmth.
When she first asked out Rarity, they had both known that with their careers it wouldn't be easy. Their schedules would be permanently overflowing, they'd have hoards of rich ponies analyzing their every move, and they'd hardly ever have time for each other.
At first, it had been different. It had seemed worth it. They spent every night together, sometimes making love (for somewhere along the line it had transcended from 'sex' to that, and Rainbow felt a shiver run down her spine), and sometimes just talking and laughing. It had been fun and free and easy.
Orders piled in, tours were almost every week… and walls tumbled down, letting their happy relationship out into the world out celebrity. Rainbow Dash didn't really mind at first - the paparazzi were slightly intrusive but she always liked it when they took pictures of her. Secretly, though, she preferred the photos taken by rarity's own personal camera. It seemed to put life into the photos.
Somewhere along the lines they'd stopped having their nights together, stopped talking until four in the morning and started losing each other. Rainbow Dash tensed at the thought. She didn't want to lose Rarity, ever.
Drastic measures had to be taken then. She couldn't just give up on something good. There had to be a way to make this work, there had to be something other than desperate hope.
She couldn't just watch this relationship sail past her, like all those other good romances. She had to salvage it, make it great like it once was.
Her eyes surveyed the room and fell upon the black bulky telephone mounted against the wall. A rather new invention that was apparently chic in the fashion world. Rarity had gone nuts over it, obsessively calling everyone she knew for days. She had never been into technology, though she'd do anything to be seen as 'in'.
Rainbow Dash had never used a telephone - never felt the need to. She preferred to talk to ponies' faces.
But ... should she?
She shook her head, thoughts turning in her head. It would be much better to talk to Rarity about this when she got home.
If she got home.
Rainbow Dash was partially glad the house was empty, so nopony could see the vicious mental debate she was having with herself.
Pull yourself together, Dash, she told herself. It's just Rarity.
Rainbow Dash picked up the phone and dialed Rarity's work number, something her partner had made her memorize - though Rainbow Dash wasn't sure why. She didn't really care right now.
The phone dialed for several minutes and Rainbow panicked for a second, thinking she'd got the wrong number. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. It was okay. It was just a phone call.
Just as soon as she had started to think Rarity would never pick up, the phone clicked and a distinct, graceful voice filled Rainbow's ear - a voice that made her heart soar.
"Hello?" Rarity asked. Rainbow Dash could tell by the tone of her voice that her mind was on other matters, most likely outfits, and this phone conversation was insignificant compared to whatever masterpieces she was creating.
"Hi, Rarity," Rainbow Dash said weakly. She then shook her head, trying to regain some of her brashness. "So, listen, not to sound needy and all, but where are you? 'Cause it's pretty early for you to be at the studio, and I just got in."
"Oh, darling, I've been here all night," Rarity said. Rainbow Dash then realised she could hear the exhaustion in Rarity's voice, and a smile escaped her for a moment. Part of what had drawn her to Rarity was her determination. They were so alike in their dedication to their craft.
"You shouldn't work yourself too hard. Take a break?" Rainbow suggested. She felt a bit guilty - while she had good intentions, she mainly just wanted to spend time with Rarity.
Rarity laughed. "Dash, I simply cannot leave now. I'm just finalizing the new collection, and it's going to be a while until I get all the details right." Rainbow Dash could practically see Rarity chewing on her lip, her mind turning over new ideas for where to perfectly place gemstones.
“Are you sure? I really don’t think you should be working so early in the morning. Have you even eaten breakfast? And did you sleep?” Rainbow fired questions at her. She knew she sounded out of character, but she was trying to avoid saying what she meant.
“Anypony that knows you knows you don’t care about that sort of stuff. What’s on your mind?” Rarity queried. Rainbow Dash cursed under her breath. Rarity could always read her like a book - she could see the details in the way ponies felt. Rarity always said that ponies were like outfits - sometimes they had hidden stitches that could come undone.
"I want you here," Rainbow blurted out. She was always known for speaking her mind, so she just decided to come clean. It was better than bottling it all up until she was ready to blow, like a can of cola that had been shaken too many times.
"I know some of it is my fault, but it's also your fault. We never see each other anymore. How long has it been since we last had dinner together? Slept in the same bed? Carried a decent conversation? We're being torn apart, Rare," Dash said sadly, "and I need to fix it. I'm not giving up on us. We have something that shouldn't be wasted."
There was silence on the other side of the phone.
"I have dresses to make, Dash. You couldn't have picked a worse time. We'll talk about this when I get home," Rarity said, and that was when Rainbow Dash lost her temper.
"When will you be home, Rarity? 'Cause I don't even know if I can trust you anymore - will it be midday or midnight? If you didn't care about your stupid dresses more than me we wouldn't be having this problem!" Rainbow shouted, her anger clouding her mind in red.
"Well if you didn't have your head in the clouds all the damn time then I wouldn't feel like you were pushing me away!" Rarity yelled back, her voice cracking in rage.
There was nothing to be heard but heavy breathing as they tried to conduct themselves into a better state.
"I have to go," Rarity finally said, hanging up. Rainbow Dash wanted to say something, but she didn't have the words nor the time.
She grit her teeth together - she felt like screaming and kicking and biting and she knew it was because she was angry with herself.
Her muscles were tense and her body rigid - she knew she'd have to go for a flight soon or she'd attack the next pony that spoke to her.
She abandoned all plans of breakfast - she wasn't hungry anymore - and locked the door of the house behind her, taking to the sky once again.
If Rarity wanted her to train all day, then that's what she'll do.
Rainbow Dash's wings slowed down, coming to a gentle flap as she hovered a few feet off the ground. She panted hard, sweat pooling on her body and making her fur shimmer slightly with moisture. She wasn't sure how many laps she'd flown or how long she'd been training - in the air, time seemed to stand still until it was only her and the rush of air, the thrill of adrenaline and the soft hum of speed.
Landing back down on the ground, her mind thought back at her unsuccessful phone call with Rarity. Her eyes narrowed with anger at herself as she thought of what they'd said.
She'd set out with the intention of fixing their relationship, but it looks like she'd only made it worse.
"Back so soon?" a voice queried.
Rainbow Dash looked up, still catching her breath slightly, to see Soarin staring at her, a smile on his face. Rainbow Dash immediately found herself smiling - Soarin had been a good friend of hers ever since Rainbow Falls, and he was such an easy-going guy that it was hard for him to not cheer you up. There was a presence around him that reminded Rainbow Dash of the ocean. He was calm and steady and reliable, but this exterior hid his strength underneath, and he was a force to be reckoned with when angry.
"I thought you'd already trained this morning?" he asked, lazily flying onto the track to join her.
"I did, but I ... just felt like training some more," Rainbow said lamely, scuffing her hoof on the ground. The rack was built for aerial use as well as running, and Dash felt the urge to go for a run - to let go of everything and just be free for once.
She started off with a light jog and Soarin followed, quickly matching her steady pace.
"Is everything alright?" Soarin wasn't one to usually pry, but he always wanted to protect his friends.
"I'm fine," Rainbow Dash said.
"Are you sure? No troubles at home or anything? I know you always insist everything is good, but you don't look like you're all that happy at the moment." Soarin increased their speed, so that they were cantering round the corners, sweat starting to collect again. Rainbow Dash felt the familiar, comforting heat in her muscles.
"Rarity isn't always the easiest pony to live with, but we get by," Rainbow Dash hesitated, but she knew she could trust Soarin. "But I guess it helps that I hardly ever see her anyway. And when I do talk to her, we end up yelling at each other for stupid reasons." Again, Rainbow Dash was reminded of the phone call and the untrue words she had said.
"That does bite," Soarin agreed, slowing down until he stopped. He placed a comforting wing around her shoulder and squeezed. "But, I think I have a solution - tried and tested by yours truly." He smiled at her.
"Really? Go on."
"A few years ago, when Spitfire and I had been going out for a while, we hit a rough patch. She'd always think I was cheating on her. I never saw her because she was always busy managing the Wonderbolts. So, I decided to just drop everything and take a holiday with her. We spent a week in Prance alone - just us two. And it was like falling in love all over again." Soarin got a sappy look in his face and Rainbow Dash almost laughed out loud. Soarin always acted like a lovesick colt when he talked about Spitfire.
"It actually worked?" Rainbow Dash asked.
"We've been closer than ever," Soarin said. He flew into the air and lazily glided on his back, eyes closed.
Rainbow Dash bit her lip in thought. "I don't think Prance is really my style, to be honest."
Soarin shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat. Sometimes it just takes being alone to find yourself again. Anyway, I have to go. And I think you have some research to do." He winked at her and she grinned back.
"Thanks, buddy. I'll buy you a drink sometime, alright?"
"Don't mention it, Dash. Glad I could help." He flew towards the exit and she followed him, plans already forming in her head, with memories of childhood holidays and a cabin in a secluded area filling her mind.
Rarity gasped as she stepped out of her workshop. The evening air was chilly and it nipped at her like a bug, making her coat stand on end. She wrapped her stylish black and grey coat around her tightly with magic. It had been warm this morning, but the weather had taken an unexpected turn, and now thick dark clouds above made the world seem darker and promised rain.
A happy couple passed her, wings around each other and laughing at a joke. Rarity sighed. When was the last time she and Rainbow Dash had told each other jokes, or bantered like they used to when they were just starting out, with stars in their eyes and hope in their hearts? It seems like reality had killed their dreams of happiness. Their careers were successful and they had enough money already to last them five lifetimes, but their personal lives were much less picturesque. It seemed that even on warm days their house was filled with the cold breeze of a couple who couldn't keep up illusions anymore. It just wasn't the perfect fairy tale anymore - true, their relationship had never been conventional, but she'd always felt like Rainbow made a better prince charming than any stallion. But now it felt like her happily ever after had been taken from her by real life.
Rarity knew she shouldn't have said what she said, but what Dash had said hurt. She knew her lover was brash, and acted swiftly without thinking of consequences, but she thought ...
To be honest, she didn't know what she'd thought. She wasn't sure of anything at the moment.
She did, however, know that she'd said something awful too - there was no denying it. And since Rainbow Dash was most likely sulking, it was up to her to be the first to apologize. She had started it, after all. She should have been paying attention. And now, she had to make up for it.
Rarity mused on what to do as she walked down the high street, the warm lights and heating of shops hypnotizing her. She was drawn to clothes shops, enticed by creative fashions and fabric that spoke to her, but she shook her head and kept on her quest, browsing windows for the perfect gift.
Now, an item that perfectly says 'I'm sorry', Rarity thought to herself. She ran through all the classic romance tropes in her head and sighed.
She passed a florist and stopped for a moment, enchanted by the jewel colours of the flora and the sweet smell they gave off.
Flowers were good. Flowers were safe. Flowers looked gorgeous as well, an added bonus. Now, roses or lilies? Maybe tulips?
Rarity shook her head, snapping out of her creative train of thought. This was Rainbow Dash, for Celestia's sake! Flowers weren't exactly her territory.
No, Rarity would be better off with something different.
She stepped away from the florist, a little reluctantly, and continued on her way, her mental dilemma continuing.
Could she get her chocolates? It was a bit too cliché for Rarity, and she wanted it to mean something.
Think, Rarity, she told herself. This was all stuff she would want and expect from a partner - not what Rainbow Dash would want. All she had to do was not be herself for five minutes.
But what would Rainbow Dash want? Years ago, she would've answered this question in seconds. She had believed they were two sides of the same coin, foils of each other, so similar and so different that they worked together in perfect tandem. Now it felt there was a gaping hole between them, and no flowers or chocolate would get her across.
A delicious smell wafted through the air, enticing Rarity. Her stomach rumbled and she remembered that her last meal had been a bunch of grapes around noon that one of her assistants practically forced her to eat. It seemed like just one of the hazards of being creative, and now Rarity was reminded of how hungry she actually was. Her stomach protested for her to find the source of the food and she gave in, following her nose down the street. The night was falling fast and the stars were starting to make an appearance in the periwinkle blue sky. There was a calmness in the air that Rarity couldn't help but love.
She stopped once she'd found the source of the smell and found herself in front of a hayburger restaurant. Wrinkling her nose slightly, she thought of all the calories and fattening substances in fast food. She hadn't eaten in one of these joints since ... Well, she must have been but a filly.
She sniffed again and took a tentative step forward.
It had been an awfully long time since she'd eaten. It must be nearly eight by now. Then again, this wasn't really her style - it was more Dash's. She loved these places and used to take every opportunity to drag Rarity into them, even if Rarity wasn't the one who would be eating anything ...
Rarity almost gasped out loud as the idea struck her like lightning. She smirked and stepped inside the hayburger joint, feeling the warm air wash over her and envelop her in heat.
It seems like the perfect apology gift for Rainbow Dash was staring right at her ...
Rarity stood on the doorstep, wondering whether she should just go in or indulge in the courtesy of knocking. She raised a hoof to the door and tapped lightly, and found the door swung open of it's own accord. The hall was dark yet there was a light coming from the dining room and Rarity trotted towards it, closing the door behind her gently. The house was warm, and she suspected the fireplace had been lit.
She stepped into the dining room and smiled. There were candles lighting up the room and the fireplace made everything seem more homely. The dark wood table had a vase of yellow roses on it and Rainbow Dash turned around from arranging them. She gave a tentative smile and placed the bottle of wine she'd been holding on the table.
"I got red wine," she said, "and roses. I know that's the kinda thing you'd want."
"It is very classy," Rarity said with a smile on her face. There was a certain fragility in the room, and they both knew they were going to have to tread carefully - lest something break.
Rarity walked over to the cabinet to get two glasses. She opened the wine and poured it into the glasses, setting them down on the table. They sat across from each other and smiled at each other nervously.
Rainbow Dash sniffed at the air and smirked. "Are those hayburgers I smell?"
Rarity blushed and removed the takeaway from underneath her coat where she'd been keeping it warm. "It's not exactly my usual diet, I'll say but ..." She looked Rainbow in the eye. "I know it is the kind of thing you want."
Rainbow smiled at her. "The roses are yellow -" she began to say.
"Indeed they are." She laughed. Rainbow shot her a look and continued as if she hadn't said anything.
"Yellow roses mean apology," said Dash, "and I want to apologize for what I said." She tucked into her hayburger, taking a giant bite out of it. Her eyes closed with bliss.
"I too want to apologize. I believe we are both at fault here. But nevertheless, it is behind us now." Rarity took a less enthusiastic approach to her food. She took a tentative bite of the hayburger and was surprised by how good it was. Rainbow Dash watched her with a smirk.
"Do you like it?"
Rarity shrugged with indifference, and then smirked, taking a giant bite. Dash marveled at how she could still keep her face clean.
"I actually wanted to talk to you about something," Rainbow Dash says, placing down the remains of her hayburger decisively.
"Those dreaded last words," Rarity joked. Rainbow shot her a look, somewhere between amused and nervous. It's a strange combination, especially on a pony like Rainbow Dash - somepony whose entire front was built on hiding her insecurities and doubts and putting on a brave, if sometimes arrogant, face for those around her who couldn't.
"When I was younger, I used to stay with my great aunt a lot. She was an earth pony, one of the only ones in the Dash clan. Anyway, she had a lodge on the outskirts of a Caneighdian village, and we used to spend ages there. I remember everything, though it's a bit shady. When my dad left we kind of stopped visiting, but I can still remember the smell of the pine trees, the crunch of the snow, the warmth of the fire ..."
Rarity listened intently. Rainbow Dash never spoke much about her family life, and when she did it was never as much as this. All Rarity knew was that her father Blitz Dash worked in the rainbow factory, and her mother Firefly had been a Wonderbolt. Firefly wasn't Rainbow's real mother, only her stepmother. Rainbow had no idea who her real mother was, because they weren't allowed to talk about it. She'd been an only child.
Apart from that, Rarity knew almost nothing about Rainbow's childhood other than the basics, and this was the first time Dash had mentioned any extended family to her. She leaned forward in her chair, swirling her wine around in her glass.
"Where are you going with this, dear?" Rarity wondered curiously.
"Shh, I'm telling the story," Rainbow Dash snapped playfully, "Don't interrupt the narrator."
Rarity rolled her eyes and swirled her wine around in her glass, staring at Rainbow. The candles flickered, lighting up their faces mysteriously and bathing them in an orange glow.
"I now own that place. I haven't been there yet, but I wanna take you there - this weekend. I think it'll be good for us, just to drop everything and get away. I know things haven't been easy recently - don't try and deny it - so we should just, y'know ... do it. Because I want to." Rainbow ducked her head down and took a bite of her hayburger nervously, waiting for Rarity's reaction.
Rarity sat back in her chair, mulling the offer over. 'Dropping everything' was the part she was worried about. She had just finished an important order, so her schedule was free, but it never stayed that way for long. There were always ponies eager to hire her personally, and she had boutiques to oversee, events to attend ...
But that was the problem, she thought sadly. She was putting her work before Rainbow Dash, something she always knew she shouldn't do. That's not how things worked.
Maybe a break would be good for her - a stress reliever- and if Rainbow thought it would fix their relationship, then she was willing to give it a go.
"OK," she said simply. Rainbow Dash stared at her for a moment.
"No fighting? No complaining, no long speech? That's all you're going to say?" Rainbow exclaimed, slightly put out by this. Maybe Rarity wasn't as invested in this idea as she was.
"That's all I need to say." Rarity looked into Dash's eyes.
The eyes were the windows to the soul, everypony knew that. And what Rarity didn't say out loud, Dash saw in her beautiful eyes. Hope. Longing. A bit of fear, for what they might lose forever.
And maybe Dash was imagining this, seeing things she wanted to see, but for the first time in a while, there was a bit of love in Rarity's eyes as she looked across the table at her.
Rainbow stretched her wings out.
"Alright then," she said, polishing off her hayburger and drinking a gulp of wine. She didn't really need the liquid courage, but it was nice to have it there all the same. A confidence booster, almost.
"So, we leave on Friday, by train. I've already booked the tickets, so you don't need to worry about that."
"I'll need several days at least to pack," Rarity said, smiling at Dash.
Dash returned the smile and sipped her wine, wincing slightly at the unfamiliar taste. She wasn't really a refined mare, her poison was mainly cocktails. The wine tasted fruity, like summer berries and survival - the hope for their relationship, the shards that had once been fractured, but now maybe were coming together again, due to tentative smiles and a gesture of kindness.
In the few seconds between that sip and placing her glass back on the table, Rainbow felt a rush of thoughts and emotions shoot through her mind.
She felt suddenly a feeling of tranquility. It washed over her, and it was the buzz of the alcohol and the blue of Rarity's eyes in the light. She stopped and stared, and for one moment, one beautiful fragile moment, she was aware of the fact that she couldn't just want this to work - it had to work.
It was the ultimate truth, it was destined to happen.
Rarity and her were dynamite and a match, gunpowder and flame, fireworks and the night sky. Explosive and changing and fusing together in leaps and bounds, somehow working and keeping each other perfect. It shouldn't work, but it did.
And that was when Rainbow felt it in her heart - the love for Rarity and the hope that this would work.
She had struck the match alight and now she was holding the flame close, watching it burn - a bit uncertain of what would happen, but she knew that it was wonderful.
Rainbow Dash then set down her wine glass, and proceeded to hold onto that hope whatever the cost.
Author's Note
Wow, OK, so this has been a long time coming. I've worked almost a month on this - just part one - alone. Luckily the deadline has been extending, but even if part two isn't done in time, I still feel extremely proud of what I've written. I just feel like I encompassed the hope and delicateness of their relationship at the present moment in time and how the two mares are feeling and reacting. I'm especially proud of Rainbow's thought process in the last 200 words or so.
Anyway, I'd love to see your thoughts on what has happened so far and what will happen next. Please comment if you liked it, even if you just write a few words it all makes me so much more determined to continue. As always, upvotes and favourites are appreciated wholly as well.
Special thanks go to Toni (The Princess Rarity) for being incredibly emotionally supportive throughout this whole process and being a great editor.
Also, thanks to spellchecker. You are my god.
