29

Room still not clean. Colored Ink still not found. I don’t care. It’s raining outside.

Not a downpour, but I guess the grass and all the other crops needed a refresher.

It’s just me, and you, and the records. And I’ll be darned if this doesn’t actually feel more awkward then on perfectly nice days, where I could actually be doing something productive. Maybe it’s because it feels forced this way? Not natural?

But I’m not going out in this rain. Nothing could make me do that.

I’ve got an idea.

////////////////////////////////////////////

So for lack of a better idea, Rainbow Dash has asked me to help her write her letter. “I’m running out of things to say”, she said. “But I don’t want to let her down”, she said. I’m going to admit that it’s rather clever of her to assume a “her” – perhaps she is better at inferring cues than I had originally assumed? Or, possibly, it was a spur-of-the-moment assertion of an assumption of gender. I will choose, however, to believe in a burgeoning growth in her intelligence, as a result of close exposure to those who value education and a solid work ethic.

She’s quite intelligent, actually. She merely has developed off-color learning habits, and grew up in an environment that heavily discouraged academia. I firmly believe that had she grown up in Canterlot academy (though this assumption relies on the assumption that she were also a unicorn capable of magic), that she would be quite a talented and capable student. I have not yet given up hope of raising her mind to proper fruition.

But as of now, she is beginning to question why I am writing at such an extended length. I have assured her (and hopefully you) that I am writing as fast as I am capable of. This is certainly at a speed that exceeds hers, which is one of the advantages of many years spent in the practice of precise motor-mechanical telekinesis, with a specific emphasis on writing.

But as I am making her slightly uncomfortable with my protracted silence on the subject, I will now narrate the next passage out loud, provided I am allowed to conclude with a few more private notes. I have no reason to believe that she would find this unacceptable, as it is merely a matter of placing faith in her as she has placed faith in you.

That was most efficacious of her. And now, we shall begin.

Attention, dear mystery recipient of my Good Friend Rainbow Dash’s Time Capsule Sentiments: you no doubt have heard from her the same sort of bewilderment and amazement both at your particular focus on her makeshift memoirs, but I share to a degree a sense of wonder both at your trepidation to speak publicly with Rainbow Dash concerning your affection for her and the degree to which you are, in fact, in love with her. While I, like a good friend, am keeping kept the secrets I have been entrusted with, I would like to acknowledge that your trust is not entirely misplaced, for the element of loyalty knows better than anypony else the intricacies and degrees of loyalty that may be established among friends. To this extent, Rainbow Dash is willing to entrust in conversational boundaries and provide you with insights on her character both to inform you as to the state of her true nature and to encourage you to eventually reveal yourself and be as open with her as she has been with you. She would like to conclude with the assertions that you have made a superior decision in your devotion not solely for the purpose of eventual reciprocation, but also because she is “highly awesome, totally radical, completely amazing and unstoppably cool.” For her sake, I will assume that those are, in fact, separate entities.

And so concludes her official sentiments. She’s certainly fond of you, you know, even if she’s not telling me how much it exactly is. Please take good care of her heart; I worry that, with the degree to which she has scribbled out her innermost thoughts, it may be more fragile than it appears.

That’s a knock on Rainbow Dash’s door. Excuse me

Hi! My name is Pinkie Pie and I heard at least a little bitty bit about this letterwriting thing! I’m so superduperhappy that I’m able to finally write to you! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!

I know I’m going to keep a secret because A PINKIE PIE PROMISE IS A PINKIE PIE PROMISE!!!!!!! But I just wanted to say that it’s really really cool that she seems happy with writing to you!!!!! And I really really hope that you meet up sometime and things get awesome!

Also you should stop by for a picnic once your two have met up and all of that stuff! Pinkie pie picnics are something that has to be seen to be believed! Ooooh, and pinkie pie parties, and

I do believe it will be to our mutual advantages if Twilight Sparkle and Applejack restrain Pinkie Pie for a few moments. I fear that if she were allowed to list all of the various things which she wished for you to do, that you would have an overabundance of lists and an underabundance of patience.

Nevertheless, this is Rarity writing to you. I shall keep myself terse, but do ultimately wish the both of you well and hope that you will forgive this intrusion. Everything is going lovely in Ponyville, and there is nothing for me to report that would not become rapidly self-evident by a couple of moments’ careful observations.

Oh, and do encourage Rainbow Dash to dress a little more fittingly, won’t you? Or at the very least, encourage her to do something about her mane. It’s so garishly unrefined, but she simply refuses to listen to my suggestions.

I…guess I’m supposed to write something here? Uh, howdy. It’s Applejack. Uh, good luck?

/////////////////////////////////////////////

30

Ugggggggghhhhhhhhhhh

I *really* want to be mad at everypony right now. I asked for Twilight to write something for me, and Twilight only. And then the next thing I know, everypony’s hijacked my letter and they’re taking turns writing things to you and I don’t even know what they SAID. And, as usual, they’re being secretive about it, which is just…

Ugggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

If they told you embarrassing stories about me, I’m going to scream. Please just try to forget them if they did tell you anything, okay? Like, you really don’t need to hear about the latest time I went to the hospital. Just assume that I did something awesome and landed there through a tragic and radical twist of fate, because that’s basically true.

At least Pinkie agreed to drop the letters off in the rain. That was nice of her.

As you can tell, I don’t like the rain much at all. It’s sunny now, but still kind of humid, which has got my feathers all wonky and feels pretty stifling. Pro tip: I’m sorry, but I’m not going to go out in the rain for you. You’ll just have to wait in the run for some other time, and I’m sorry if that rubs your shyness the wrong way.

Hey, did they say anything mushy about me? Like “Oh, Rainbow Dash is so totally in love with her, hugs and kisses, you guys should totally go on some sort of passionate cruise together”? Because that would be seriously, totally, awfully sentimental.

ugggggghhhhhhhhh

I mean, honestly, I’m just happy that I have somepony to write to. You could be anypony, really, but you don’t feel like you have to voice your opinion to me and you’re kind of crushing on me. Which is honestly kind of sweet.

Hey, are you Scootaloo after all? ‘Cause I already know that you knew I was a big sister figure. You don’t have to be embarrassed about it.

Though I guess what with that whole bit where you almost got yourself killed, you’re not really all that scared of admitting that you’re a big fan of me. So that’s cool.

Unless love is different from admiration to you?

Also, you’re still young, so that’s kind of not cool. Get your cutie mark first, squirt.

Of course, that’s an assumption. Chances are you’re somepony else. Like I said before – hopefully not somepony super old, because ewwww grosssssss

So.

That whole thing rattled my cage and I’m not sure that I’ll ask Twilight or my other friends to help co-write a letter to me.

That might have been the point, actually. Sneakybutts.

I really hope you’re a Pegasus, though. Once the weather clears up, I’d really like to go flying with you. It’s not even September yet, so we’ll have plenty of warm weather to enjoy together. Heck, maybe I can even teach you about proper cloudkicking and the best way to ride the thermals.

And it’d be nice to fly with somepony. Twilight’s still a rookie, and Fluttershy might as well be an earth pony for all the flying the does these days. And there’s tank, who’s the best pet anypony could ask for, but – I’ve kind of got to take it slow around him, and I’d like to have somepony I could really flex my wings around.

I miss having flight company, honestly. But hey – once I get into the wonderbolts, we’ll probably be flying all day! So I’ll be set. Plus, even cooler. All the best things, right?

But I mean, if you’re not, that’s cool, too. We can’t all get wings, and I don’t really begrudge you if you’re some other way. It’d be pretty judgemental of me, and I’m trying to shy away from that. Not necessarily succeeding! But it’s the effort that counts, right?

Except in flying. Awesomeness is everything in flying.

But I’m digressing. Mostly because I can’t think of anything else to say. It’s the humidity; bugging my brain just as much as it bugs my wings. Maybe if I, like, take a really cold bath, then I’ll be able to clear up my thoughts. Guess I’ll drop off this letter first before I do that, though.

I’m not going out in the rain for this letter-writing thing, but I might as well go out into this kind of weather, since there’s something waiting for me at the end of it.

Oh! Before I go -

RAINBOW DASH

Pinkie found those for me! Not that she knew I was looking for them, ‘cause I kept forgetting to tell her, but she did this thing where she found them through crazy Pinkie Pie shenanagins that’d take, like, half an hour of writing to summarize, and she got the bright idea to save them for “a rainy day when somepony might be looking for them.” I’m pretty sure that wasn’t supposed to be literal, but this is pinkie pie; it’s hard to tell. Whatever the case is, I’ve been scribbling down letters for the CMC, gonna try and drop them off “anonymously” at their clubhouse. Granted, they’ll probably figure out who it is, but either way, it should be a happy enough surprise for them. Admiration from a cooler older pony or well-wishes from a mysterious stranger? I’d consider it win/win.

And I guess I can maybe see where you’re coming from, in that sense. Except I guess you’re doing it in reverse?

~~But I really would like to meet up with you sometime, if only just to talk. I’m sorry if this is coming across sort of strongly, but – I just want to know, you know? Have some sense of closure about it. And I’d really like to make a new friend.~~

Okay. Going to drop off this Letter. And I’ll write back to you tomorrow as usual, okay?

Your pal,

RAINBOW DASH

P.S. am I overdoing it with the rainbow ink? Tell me if I am. Or, I mean, you probably won’t, but if you ever feel the need to write me back concerning that, go ahead.

///////////////////////////////////////////

31

Humidity cleared up, as you probably figured out. Went for a swim out by the watering hole. Cannonballs are way more fun when you put yourself a few hundred feet in the air before letting go. I’m glad the watering hole is that deep – or for that matter, that water is so soft. Getting pancaked any time I decided to try something cool doesn’t sound like my idea of fun.

Still not a response from you. But I feel like that one time you wrote to me was when it really mattered. Is it just going to be the case that unless it’s necessary to keep me writing, you’re just going to listen?

I should probably find that annoying, shouldn’t I? I think I’ve mentioned it could feel like I’m doing all of the work here. But I’d like to believe it’s because you’re just telling me that you’re willing to listen, no matter what.

I keep being redundant on this because I’m not sure how I’m supposed to feel about this. I’m not sure how I feel about a lot of things, actually. I probably shouldn’t have written that bit about flight academy, and I feel like I should go back to more of the daily adventures of me, since I suspect that’s what you want to hear. But there’s part of me that really wants to write things like that. You’re the only pony that I can ~~talk to~~ write to about this.

Part of me hopes that I never see you, then. You’re safe because you can’t, or won’t, judge me. If I have to talk to somepony that actually knows about the things I…

I can’t even tell Pinkie. I can’t even tell Applejack. I definitely can’t tell Rarity, and I really, really want to tell Twilight, but I can’t do that, either. I know what she was like at her brother’s wedding. Even if her hunch is correct, she gets…scary. Really, really scary.

Either she’d know exactly what to do, or she’d banish me from ponyville, and I don’t know which one is more likely. But as much as I want to stop thinking about things, I really want to have friends more. I need to have ponies I can trust.

And I need to hope they can trust me.

I’ll write to you tomorrow. I need to get my mind off of things.

Later,

RAINBOW DASH