Ray sat on a sand dune trying to ignore Rainbow Dash’s pleads for him to return. His extraction team was still a little while away. He had been sitting in the sand for several minutes, simply trying to deflect the cries to return off his ears. It never occurred to him to move away from the portal, or perhaps it did, but he just didn’t want to.

“Ignore it Ray, you don’t belong there,” he thought to himself.

“Ray...” Rainbow Dash squeaked.

“Don’t look back Ray.” He felt the muscles in his neck tense against the instinct to go back and comfort his friend, “Don’t do it.”

Rainbow had been reduced to simple whimpers, giving up on persuasion. Pinkie Pie was sitting next to her friend, combing through her lush, hexa-colored mane, and Applejack was standing on the pegasus’ tail, to ensure she didn’t bolt away. Ray’s body finally betrayed him and he turned his head to look at his miserable friend. As if sensing being looked at, Dash looked up and made eye contact with the human. That’s when it all hit him- The laughing and the crying, saving and sleeping, fun and boredom- all those memories collided together instantly. Then, something clicked in Ray’s mind and he knew what he had to do. He jerked his head back in the opposite direction from the portal, looking out to the miles of sand and darkness before him.

“Dammit,” Ray muttered, getting to his feet. holding the AK 47 that was brought into Equestria.

“Ray, what are you doing?” Rainbow Dash asked.

“Twilight, I want you to start shooting this thing when I tell you to. Make sure you point it away from me before you start,” Ray commanded.

“What are you planning Ray?” Twilight asked.

“I’m going to die,” He simply replied and walked a distance away.

“What? Ray!” Rainbow Dash protested, but Applejack stood firm.

“Just trust me!” Ray called.

He pulled out his radio and yelled to Twilight to start shooting. “Contact, contact! I am under fire!” Ray said into the radio, but Twilight hadn’t started firing. He looked back at her, panicked.

“Confound little-!” Twilight swore to herself, trying to figure out how the contraption worked. She found the bolt on the side with her magic and pulled the bolt back on the Russian rifle, attempting to fire it again. Several shots were fired in the air, well away from Ray.

“I’m engaged with an unknown amount of enemy combatants and, AARRGH!” Ray yelled.

“Wait, what? What’s happening Ray?” The operator on the other radio asked.

“Agh, I’m hit! Cancel exfil, I’m not going to make it out of here!” Ray said, rather hastily. “Just do me a favor and tell my team I said goodbye. Fire in the hole, Ray out.”

“Ray, talk to m-” Ray shut the radio off and tucked it away. He turned back towards the portal and started running towards it. Up the hill he ran, grabbing the floating rifle in the process and jumped back through the portal. Rainbow Dash managed to pull herself away from Applejack-mostly due to the farmer’s shock-and flung herself into the human’s open arms, where she started bawling in his chest.

“I’m here. I came back. I’m right here and I am not going anywhere,” Ray said, trying to coax the hysterical pony. In turn, she hugged him tightly as the magical portal finally shrank and disappeared.

“Ray...” Rainbow Dash murmured as she pushed her head into Ray’s chest..

Rainbow Dash nuzzled him both in an attempt to show him affection and to dry her tears, “Thank you...” She whispered.

Ray merely patted her on the back as a response as he looked at where the portal had just been. He closed his eyes and thought about his team for they had been his family after he had lost it all. And now he had decided to put them behind him and continue living in this colorful playground with little crimes, violence, or anger. Ray pushed the thought of his team behind and hugged Rainbow Dash tighter and felt tears begin to slide down his face.

“Ray? Are you okay?” Fluttershy asked quietly.

“Yeah, of course I am,” Ray lied as he let go of Rainbow Dash.

“No you’re not,” Twilight added, obviously.

Rainbow Dash flapped her wings and hovered eye to eye with Ray, “C’mon Ray, you can tell me, right?” she said with a comforting smile.

Ray opened his mouth to speak, but found he couldn’t get the words out. He had failed his team, left them behind. Ray felt like a failure suddenly. Everything he had been taught and everything he believed was being disobeying.

“They trusted me Rainbow Dash. They trust me to protect them. I just chose not to. What’s wrong with me?” He finally managed to choke out.

Rainbow Dash suddenly realized the magnitude of the decision Ray had made just for her. She thought about how it would feel to leave all her friends for Ray. Could she have done it? Rainbow Dash wasn’t sure. She felt overwhelmingly bad about making Ray choose her over his team at that moment. She tried to think of something to say to comfort him, to say thank you.

“Ray…”

The stricken human looked up at the pegasus. Then, she moved her head forward and pressed her lips against Ray’s for a brief moment.

“Thank you...” she whispered shyly.

Everyone else in the room was shocked and more than one of them was blushing.

“D’aww, that’s so cute Dashie!” Pinkie exclaimed.

“Ha, see Rarity! I told you!” Twilight bragged.

“Not now Twilight.” Rarity quickly hushed.

Meanwhile, Ray had stopped crying and was attempting to put together a coherent thought. Rainbow Dash laughed at both the shade of red Ray’s cheeks had turned and his momentary inability to speak.

“Don’t worry about it Ray, I’ll let you have some time to think before I force you to make a decision,” Rainbow Dash light heartedly teased, eating up her insecurity.

“Don’t antagonize him Rainbow Dash!” Rarity exclaimed.

“Don’t worry Rarity, it’s all in good fun. Right Ray?”

“Uh-huh,” he replied dumbly.

“Oh come on, I know this isn’t the most shocking thing that has happened to you Ray!”

“Yeah, but something like… I’ve never done that before... I never really had that much of a normal social life to begin with.”

“Oh, I see…” she said in an understanding manner. “Like I said, I will let you think before you make a decision. It’s the least I can do.”

“Well, I appreciate that Rainbow Dash, but I have already made my decision,” Ray said before swiftly wrapping his arms around Rainbow Dash and kissing her.

Now it was Rainbow Dash’s turn to blush. The whole room resounded with an “Ooo!”

“Ha see!” Twilight cheered.

“Yes, yes, I see.” Rarity muttered slightly annoyed that Twilight had both noticed the bond between the two before she had and for rubbing it in. After a few seconds Ray, broke the kiss and gave Rainbow Dash a cheeky smirk.

“Not so nice on the other side, eh?” Ray teased.

“Heh, I guess not.” Rainbow Dash replied embarrassed and a bit dizzy.

“Well, sorry, but I couldn’t resist. How I about I make it up to you by buying you an ice cream?”

“Ray... Are you asking me out on a date?” Rainbow Dash said with a little shock, but smiling nonetheless.

“Yes, why am I doing it wrong?” Ray asked, genuinely unsure.

All the ponies in the room broke down laughing while Ray stood in the middle of the room confused.

“You girls are mean,” Ray said flatly while frowning.

“Ya may be talented at a lot a things Ray, but you are kinda socially awkward,” Applejack commented, still giggling.

“Hey! I’ll have you know I have acted like a teenage boy before while I was working some espionage jobs!”

“I have no idea what that means, but you haven’t actually acted like a teenager before, have you?” Rarity asked.

“Well… no… As I said before I didn’t really have that much of a social life,” Ray replied.

“Okay girls, time to stop picking on Ray. How about we go now?” Rainbow Dash asked Ray.

“Thank you Rainbow Dash! I think that is a good idea.”

Ray quickly got up and headed for the door. He held it open for Rainbow Dash and they both went on to enjoy their afternoon, leaving the other five to gossip about the two in the library.

Author's Note

Finally published this, however this is only half edited. Sorry about that guys but I have been busy with school and so has jd. Hope to have more out soon!

~Akkura