What Happens in Pegasus

The flight back from Canterlot is always an easy one; just spread your wings and glide down from the mountaintops. Sometimes, when the wind’s just right, a pegasus could reasonably get to Ponyville without flapping their wings once! Yeah, gliding is great, despite the risk of getting wing cramp.

It’s noon by the time Rainbow Dash’s cloud home comes into full view. Landing just outside her front door, you check to see if your gift is still nestled firmly among your feathers. It’s still there, good; now to knock three times, give her the news and…

No answer. You try again.

Still nothing. She would have definitely finished her cloud-clearing duties by this time, so she’s either at a friend’s house or…

Oh no; what if she really did go out to wherever the Wonderbolts were performing, like you teased? Nah, that would be crazy, think harder.

Didn’t she say she was going to a party? Yeah, the welcoming party at Sweet Apple Acres. Maybe she’s still there.

At the very least, you have to make sure. And if she’s not there, her friends could point you in the right direction. You decide it’s worth checking either way.

********

Flying over the farm’s orchard, a sea of green leaves and red apples, you finally spy a multicoloured dot bucking the apple trees with a larger red-and-orange one. There she is!

You swoop down, determined to make this right before she leaves this orchard. Rainbow Dash takes one glance at you and shies away, only for a moment, before replacing that look with one of defiant irritation. Even now, she puts up a defensive barrier between you and her pride.

“Whadda you want?” she grumbles, shuffling the apple-filled cart off her back. She looks to her companion, MacIntosh, for a break. He just nods silently and carries on apple-bucking without her.

“Dash, I just want to talk, okay?” you plead, hoping she’d calm down; knowing Rainbow Dash the way you do, you’d come to expect this sort of cold demeanour. She’s always been quick to anger, and slow to forgive.

“We’re talking now.” she states dryly, “You missed the party, by the way. Great night that was too; cider, hoof-wrestling, carrying oversized apes over rooftops, the usual shtick.”

“That’s not what I- wait, carrying what now?” You’re drifting off-topic, better bring it back. “No, never mind, forget I asked. What I want to say, Rainbow, is that I’m sorry.”

“And why the heck would you want to apologise?” she scoffs, pushing you back, “It’s not you who fantasises over, I dunno, Spitfire or somepony during our alone time. Not that I‘d judge you for that sort of thing. Unlike you.”

“That’s why I’m apologising.” you tell her, “I’m sorry for overreacting. I can’t be mad at you being you, Dash. I know you were only trying to keep things fresh in your mind, thinking about… y’know.” you pause to retrieve your gift - the strip of elaborately decorated paper - from the feathers of your wings, and offer it out to her. “I want our relationship to be interesting too. Which is why I got you this. It’s from an old friend of mine.”

She snatches one from your hoof, and looks it over. Her jaw drops when she realises what it is.

“A confirmation receipt..? For a weekend at Hurricane’s Palace, Las Pegasus!?” She looks between you, the receipt, and back again. “Where the hey did you get seven hundred Bits from? H- how did you even afford this?”

“I didn’t,” you shrug, “My old friend did. He owed me a favour and made the reservations for us! I was surprised at how generous he was too.”

“And who exactly is this friend of yours?”

“An ex-flyer for the Scarlet Wings. They were an old flight team.” you explain, “A few years ago, when I was visiting Canterlot, he was getting harassed by some paparazzi. They kept poking their noses into his personal life just for something to report about, and when I saw what was happening, I chased them off for him. He said he’d do it himself if he was young enough-”

“Wait, wait, wait…” Dash holds up a hoof to stop you, “You realise the Scarlet Wings retired, like, ten years ago, right?”

“I know, he‘s a little frail these days.” you nod simply. “That didn’t stop some vultures with cameras wanting a piece of him, though. Anyway, after I helped him out, he promised to pay back with a favour. After our argument yesterday, Dash, I decided to call him up on it. And, well…” You gesture at the receipt in Rainbow Dash’s hoof, “That’s how we’re going to a five-star resort. He’s way more rich and famous than he gives himself credit for. He even said this was ‘no big deal’ to him.”

“But why?” she asks, “Why are you being so nice to me when it was my loud mouth that started this whole thing? If it wasn‘t for me, we‘d never have argued. We’d never have been in this mess in the first place.”

“But Rainbow Dash, I was the one who overreacted,” you place a hoof on her shoulder. You make a note of how she doesn’t try to brush it off right away. “Relationships aren’t about getting along without any arguments. They’re about getting through them together, despite our differences. Just like what we‘re doing now.”

Her ever-colourful eyes look up to yours. You notice they’re just slightly watering. “Let’s go to Las Pegasus,” you say, “We’ll set off first thing tomorrow, and when we’re done, we’ll forget we ever fought in the first place, okay?”

She wipes her eye (there’s something caught in it, obviously) and embraces you in a hug. “For what it’s worth,” she sniffles into your shoulder, “I’m sorry.”

“Me too.” you whisper, “Me too.”

“Can I still call you rookie?”

You chuckle, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

You pull out of the hug, and lower your face towards hers. Without needing any further indication, she brings her face up to yours.

There, you connect with a heart-mending kiss that made the troubles of yesterday seem so… pointless. So distant and inconsequential. She warms herself up to you as you kiss, trying to get as much out of it as she can.

She really missed you. She really cares for you. And that’s why you’re going to be together through thick and thin.

The kiss ends, but the cosy buzzing of love between you remains unhindered.

“Let’s go pack our bags.” you tell her, “We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”