The Marriage of Heaven and Earth

Chapters

How It All Began
Shut Up and Let me Take Care of You!
Please, Don't Stop Bothering Me
Simper Fidelis
The Perfect Day
Pranks and Spanks
Betrayal
Separation
Letters
Epilogue-Come My Darling, My Bride

How It All Began

Rainbow Dash glided on the wind as she flew back towards Ponyville. She hardly felt like flapping her wings. In fact, she hardly felt like flying at all.

Better luck next time.

Just wait. One more year.

You’ve not improved enough.

She snarled and bucked the clouds that dared to get in her way. She slung herself through the air in self-abandonment, forsaking the grace that usually characterized her flight patterns. She cursed and shouted and screamed, thrashing and bucking every cloud that she came across.

You’re never going to get there! Your dream is so far away, you will never make it! She felt the energy seeping away from her. Slowly, she floated to the ground. Hot, angry tears flowed down her cheeks.

It will never happen! Just give up! The voice in her mind screamed at her. Just give up! You’re a fraud! A stupid, fucking fraud! She realized she was crying into the grass. The grass smelt sweet against her muzzle. It was soothing. Maybe, she decided, she should just lie here. She was tired, so tired.

Maybe she should lie here and not get back up.

No. No, I can’t do that.

Why not? What’s the point? Why do you keep going? What’s the point, Dash? You’re the only pony that can do the Sonic Rainboom and the Wonderbolts still want accept you!

Her stomach growled. She nibbled at the grass. She had never been big on grazing though her grandfather did it as a hobby, but this grass tasted sweet. The sweetness reminded her of the sugary treats at Sugarcube Corner which reminded her of Pinkie Pie. Anything sweet automatically reminded her of Pinkie Pie. The thought of her brought a sense of lightness to her chest, some pleasant feeling she could not entirely place. If anyone would know how to get her out of this funk it would be her. She flared her wings and forced herself back into the air. It was sunset, night fast approaching. By the time she got to the upstairs door of Sugarcube Corner the moon had risen and the stars were twinkling in the velvet of Luna’s night. She landed on the Pegasus landing pad and looked through the heart shaped opening. Absently, she wondered why Pinkie had a landing pad specifically designed for pegasii. She didn’t know Fluttershy and Pinkie were that close.

Huh. And the heart shaped opening. Could they have a thing going on?

Pinkie was sitting on the bed reading Party Planner Weekly. Dash knocked on the door. Pinkie bounced off the bed and ran to open the door.

“Hi, Dashie! I’m soo glad you’re here! I was thinking of this prank involving clouds and cupcakes…” She trailed off and stared at the pegasus. She then embraced Dash in a rib-crushing hug.

“Hey, hey Pinkie!” She hugged Pinkie back. “Ease up a bit.”

The force of the embrace loosened, but Pinkie kept her hooves wrapped around Dash. She nuzzled her neck.

“Dash, what’s wrong?”

“How do you know something’s wrong?”

“Cause I always know when my friends are sad, Silly. And you’re definitely sad. So, tell Auntie Pinkie Pie what’s wrong.”

“We’re the same age.”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t be your aunt.”

“…Right.” She chalked this up to ‘Pinkie being Pinkie.’ “I didn’t make it at tryouts.”

“Oh, Dashie!” Pinkie nuzzled her again. She felt warm and soft, like a blanket.

The question, childish, couldn’t help but pass Dash’s lips.

“Can I stay here tonight? I just don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Sure!” Pinkie responded. She bounced around. “We can eat marshmallow and tell ghost stories and play truth-or-dare!”

Dash smiled at the bouncing pink pony, the first time she’d smiled since the try-outs. She’s like a little ball of joy.

Pinkie ran downstairs and came back up a few minutes later with a bowl of marshmallows. If she were a pegasus, Dash would have some serious competition.

“So, whaddaya wanna do first?” Pinkie asked. Dash sat down across from her. Pinkie popped a marshmallow into her mouth. Dash dug in and got a marshmallow for herself.

“I was thinking truth-or-dare?” She said after swallowing the marshmallow.

“Ooh, that’s a fun game! I’ll go first!”

“So, truth-or-dare?”

“Truth!”

Dash thought a few seconds. She was expecting Pinkie to say dare. “Um, so is there anypony you like?”

Pinkie went strangely quiet. Actually, anytime Pinkie was quiet was strange.

“Pinkie?”

“There is somepony.” Pinkie said. “She’s a pegasus.”

Aha! So, she does have a thing for Fluttershy! Funny, I never knew Fluttershy was a fillyfooler.

“She’s a beautiful pegasus with strong, graceful wings. I want to wrap myself up in them.”

Dash felt heat creep up her cheeks at the mental image.

Pinkie looked away. “She’s brave and strong and confident.”

That doesn’t really sound like Fluttershy. Dash thought. “Is it somepony I know?”

“Yes. You know her very well.”

Well, it’s not Fluttershy. Who could it be? Cloudkicker? Blossomforth?

“Her confidence inspires me to be the best I can. Once, I kind of went a little loopy. I was even talking to turnips and rocks. She dragged me to my birthday party. She helped me remember what joy is. Ever since then I’ve had feelings for her.”

Oh.

Silence fell between them. Dash ate some more marshmallows.

“So, truth-or-dare?” Pinkie asked, a weak smile on her face.

Dash ate more marshmallows.

“If you don’t feel the same way, I’d understand.” Pinkie told her.

“No. I don’t know what I feel.”

Pinkie stood up and sat beside her, then held her hoof. Dash clutched her hoof and leaned her head on Pinkie’s shoulder.

“Pinkie, I don’t know what to do. My head’s all confused.”

Pinkie stroked her mane. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Pinkie, I’m…not in a good place right now okay? I can’t deal with a confession of love on top of everything else.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s cool you’re so free with your feelings. I like that about you. I just don’t know if I like that about you in that way.”

“I’ll wait, Dashie. For as long as you need to.”

“Pinkie, do you think I’ll ever make it? To the Wonderbolts I mean?”

“I know you will! You’re the best flier ever!” She proclaimed, bouncing up and down.

Dash smiled at her antics. “So, why don’t I believe it? Why does it all seem so far away?”

Pinkie frowned. “Let me guess. Right now, bad thoughts are swirling around in that rainbow head of yours. You don’t know what to do. Everything seems hopeless. You don’t know if you’ll ever smile again.”

“Yeah. Yeah, that’s exactly how I feel.”

Pinkie gave a smile that wasn’t a smile at all. “I’ve been there.”

“How’d you get out?”

“I had help. You.”

For a while they sat next to each other in a companionable silence, holding hooves.

“Pinkie, let’s just take it slow for now okay?”

At some point Dash fell asleep against her. Her memories were blurred by fatigue, but she could recall Pinkie carrying her to bed like she was a filly then getting in bed with her. They had slept in bed before on many sleepovers.

“Hey, Pinkie?”

“Hm?”

“Ya wanna go pranking tomorrow?”

“Sure!”

“Cool. I’m thinking of Twilight and a pop-up book. Think you can do something with springs and pudding?”

“Oh, I’m on it.”

…

It became their little tradition. Every evening Dash would come by her bedroom. They’d plan pranks and eat marshmallows and all kinds of other sweets. They’d go outside and Dash would work out (and amuse Pinkie) by doing all kinds of tricks. She’d blaze across the sky, a sonic rainboom blazing behind her. Pinkie would cheer for her. Then Dash would head home. Pinkie’s confession stood between them. They danced around it, but never spoke of it. One evening, like so many others, they were eating cupcakes together.

“Say, Pinkie?”

“Yeah, Dashie?”

“Well…I was, um thinking of stuff and, welll…y-you’re my best friend ya know that? Like my best, best forever friend?”

Pinkie blushed. “You’re my best forever friend too.”

“And, I’d like to be…more than that. More than friends I mean-”

Pinkie leapt over and wrapped Dash in an embrace, planting a kiss on her. Dash wrapped her wings over her and pulled her into a deep kiss. She tasted like sugar and strawberries, like fresh bread and the rich scent of the earth. Dash pressed her lips to Pinkies, pushed her to the ground and straddled her. The rest of the night was spent in love. Dash kissed every part of her, memorized her scent and her taste. Pinkie ran her hooves through her wings, through her fur, tasted every part of her. They lay entwined afterwards, feeding one another marshmallows.

“I love you, Pinkie.”

“I love you too, Dash.”

“I love your laugh. It makes me happy. No matter how crappy my day has been your laugh always makes it better.” Dash told her, running a hoof down her back.

“I love your confidence. I love how strong you are. Every time I see you flying I just have to stop and watch.”

“I love your hooves.” Dash said, taking one and kissing it.

“I love your wings.” Pinkie said, kissing the wing that was wrapped around her. “I love how much life you have in you. I love how you can be silly and playful and are one of the few ponies that can actually keep up with me.”

Dash nuzzled her. “I love everything about you.”

“I love everything about you too.”

They fell asleep on each other’s shoulder.

…

The sun shone through Pinkie’s window. She yawned and stretched and realized she was sleeping on her floor.

What are you doing on the floor you silly filly? She thought to herself. Then memories of last night came back to her. She looked around the room. Dash was nowhere to be found. Pinkie sighed.

Was it all just a dream? She walked over to the little door that she had designed with one particular pegasus in mind and opened it. Dash was sitting outside, floating in the air.

“DASHIE!” She shouted. Dash turned around just in time to get glomped by the excited Pinkie Pie. Unfortunately, Dash was hovering in midair and Pinkie didn’t have wings. Pinkie, luckily, didn’t let go of Dash’s side. Dash picked her up, cradling her in her hooves.

“Dash, that wasn’t a dream was it? We’re really marefriends now?”

Dash kissed her in response. Pinkie smiled and wrapped her hooves around Dash’s neck.

“So, what were you doing out here?”

“Thinking about stuff. Meditating.”

“You feeling better now?”

Dash nodded. “Yeah. I just needed the air. Do you wanna go get breakfast?”

“Yeah! I know this place that serves incredible waffles!”

“Point the way and I’ll fly you there.”

Pinkie pointed and Dash soared upon wind. Pinkie kept her hooves around Dash’s neck as they flew. The wind whipped her mane around her head making her giggle uncontrollably.

“Oh my gosh, I’m going to throw a zillion parties this week to celebrate us getting together!”

“Sounds good to me.” Dash said as they landed by the waffle shop.

Shut Up and Let me Take Care of You!

The Marriage of Heaven and Earth

Rainbow Dash used to think if she relied on others it could only make her weak. That was before she met Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie whose laugh always brought joy to her heart. Pinkie Pie who always cheered for her, no matter how badly she had just screwed up a move. Sometimes Dash’s wings would give out and she would collapse to the earth, thirsty and exhausted. When that happened Pinkie was always there to bring her a glass of water and a cupcake. To Dash, love meant loyalty and loyalty was something she took seriously. Currently, she was holding the pink pony’s mane back while she vomited.

“Oh, Gods…” Pinkie moaned. She had come down with a bad case of stomach poisoning. She wasn't sure how she’d gotten it, but she suspected the vending machine egg salad sandwich may have played a role. Her tummy had started hurting immediately after eating it at the Manehattan Party Planner’s Convention. Dash helped her up and wiped the vomit from around her lips. After Pinkie brushed her teeth she leaned on the pegasus’ shoulder as Dash led her to the bed. She got into bed with her and held her in her wings.

If somepony had told me a year ago that I’d be spending a Saturday wiping vomit from somepony’s face I’d have laughed at them.

Pinkie nestled into Dash’s chest.

But Pinkie’s not just anypony.

“Your wing is like the most comfortable blanket ever.” Pinkie said as she wrapped her hooves around Dash’s middle. “I wish I had wings so I could wrap you up in mine.”

Dash kissed the top of her forehead. “Your hooves are good enough for hugs. Your tummy feeling better?”

“A little bit. It still feels kinda icky.”

“Yeah, no more vending machine egg salad sandwiches for you.”

Pinkie nodded then began ruffling Dash’s feathers with her muzzle. Dash moaned as she felt pleasurable tingles go through her body. Pinkie continued to gently brush Dash’s feathers with her mouth. She took the broken feathers softly between her teeth and pulled them out. Dash melted into a happy daze as Pinkie preened her.

“You’ve done this before.” Dash noted, slightly jealous of whatever lucky pegasus had also gotten a preening from her.

Pinkie placed one of Dash’s old feathers in a pile. “For Pound Cake, yeah.”

She went back to slowly brushing her muzzle through Dash’s wings, falling into a gentle rhythm, straightening any out of place feathers

and softly pulling out the broken ones. Dash sighed in contentment. While she and Fluttershy preened each other and it was deeply pleasant,

nothing compared to a preening from one’s special somepony. Pinkie finished with a few more brushes through Dash’s wings. She was now

practically on top of Dash. Dash wrapped her wings around her and pulled her into a kiss. Pinkie nuzzled into her neck.

“Thanks for being here, Dashie.”

“You’ve been here for me too many times to count. I wanted to return the favor.” Dash said, stroking her mane.

“But, weren’t you going to a Wonderbolts show today?”

Dash frowned. “That was before I found out you were sick.” Pinkie had long ago been promoted to “more important than the Wonderbolts” in Dash’s list of priorities right below “defending Equestria.”

Pinkie frowned. Dash thought it didn't look right on her face. “You haven’t left my side in three days, you silly filly. I’ll be fine.”

“I’d never leave you hanging, Pinkie.”

“But you won’t be. I’ll be fine. I want you to go and be happy!”

“I’m happy right here with you.”

“Yeah, but you love the Wonderbolts. Are you sure you want to miss it?”

“Yes, Pinkie. I’m sure.”

“And you’re not going to start resenting me and that resentment isn't going to fester into hatred and you’re not going to end up hating me and leave me forever?”

“No, Pinkie. That’s not going to happen.” Dash said, giving her a reassuring nuzzle.

“I’d still feel better if you went.”

“Wait, are we actually going to argue about this?” Dash asked in disbelief. “I’m staying here to take care of you and that’s final, Missy.”

Pinkie always loved when Dash went into caregiver mode, but this was too far. “Look, Dash. The Wonderbolts make you happy, right?”

Dash pressed a hoof to Pinkie’s lips. “You make me happy.”

Pinkie shivered as she stared into the eyes of her lover. “You want to make me happy, right?”

“I’d do anything to make you happy.” Dash replied.

“So, you’d make me happy if you went to the Wonderbolts show!”

“And you’d make me happy if you shut up and let me take care of you!”

Pinkie sniffled.

Ah, crud. Dash winced, then placed a hoof on Pinkie’s cheek. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

“It’s okay.”

“It’s really not.”

Pinkie looked like she was going to say something more, but then her face turned green. She quickly jumped from Dash’s chest and galloped to the bathroom. Dash flew in after her and held her mane back while she vomited the rest of the contents of her stomach.

“You need water?” Dash asked. It’d been a while since she last drank.

“That’d be nice.” Pinkie responded. While she brushed her teeth Dash got her a glass of water. She held it to Pinkie’s lips. Pinkie rolled her eyes and took it into her own hooves before gulping it down. Dash helped her back to the bed and got in beside her. She had taken a cloth from the bathroom and used it to wipe the vomit away from her lips. She gently wiped each side. When she was done she wrapped her wings around her.

“I’m not going to convince you to leave am I?”

“A herd of wild minotaurs couldn’t drag me away from you.”

“No wonder you’re the element of loyalty.” She smiled. “I’m going to have to throw you a most loyal marefriend ever party!”

Dash tickled her tummy eliciting giggles from the pink earth mare. “Not until you start feeling better.”

Pinkie smiled and nestled her head into Dash’s chest. Dash kissed her forehead. As Celestia’s sun set below the green and fruitful hills of the magical land of Equestria a loyal pegasus and an earth pony with a tummy ache snuggled into each other beneath a shared blanket.

Please, Don't Stop Bothering Me

Rainbow Dash soared along in her Wonderbolts costume alongside her idols Spitfire and Soarin. The crowd below cheered her name. One voice stood out, that of her beautiful marefriend Pinkie Pie. She was flying behind her.

Wait a minute.

Pinkie Pie couldn’t fly. She was also wearing fishnet stockings. Dash’s wings flared out and stiffened. Suddenly the crowd below turned into all the bullies from Flight Camp.

“Rainbow Crash has a wingboner! Rainbow Crash has a wingboner!

Dash blushed. “Shut up! It happens to everypony-er, everypegasus!”

“Rainbow Dash if you can’t control yourself you can’t be a Wonderbolt you debased Sodomite!” Spitfire said, pulling out a baseball bat and whacking Dash in the head with it.

Dash woke up suddenly. Pinkie Pie was on top of her and poking her in the chest.

“Good morning, Rainbow Dash!”

Dash looked out her window. It was still dark outside. Her bedside clock read four am.

“Pinkie…how’d you get in here?”

Pinkie motioned to her flying bicycle which was lying by the bed.

“I cried till Twilight agreed to cast the cloudwalking spell on me and my bike.”

“Is there some kind of emergency?” She grinned. “Or is this a pleasure visit?”

Her wings stiffened as Pinkie stroked them. Dash suppressed a moan.

‘If this is a dream, no one wake me up.’

Pinkie giggled. “Dash, you’re so cute when you’re wings get like that! Why do they do that?”

Dash leaned up and brushed her lips against Pinkie’s. She then grinned seductively.

Pinkie’s eyes widened. “Ohhh…that means that.” She drew away suddenly. “But we don’t have time for that! The cake I baked you will be done in an hour!”

Dash blinked. “You baked me a cake at four in the morning.”

“Yep, I woke up thinking about how you’re an awesome marefriend and our three and a half month anniversary is coming up-”

“Look, Pinkie.” Dash stroked her cheek. “That was nice and all, but me and Lightning Dust are doing some training tomorrow morning-later this day actually I guess-and I need my rest. So, I don’t need you getting me all hot and bothered.”

Pinkie softly whimpered and guilt hit Dash like a ton of bricks.

“I…I didn’t k-know I bothered you.” Pinkie said, sniffling.

“No Pinkie, that’s not what I meant-”

But Pinkie had already hopped on her bicycle and flown away.

“Pinkie! Hey, Pinkie!” She flew after the crying party pony.

“Go away! Leave me alone!” Pinkie cried as she flew through the moonlit clouds, Dash close behind. For a time they danced among the stars, Pinkie drifting ever farther away. Finally, guilt and exhaustion overwhelmed the pegasus.

“Pinkie, I’m sorry!” She shouted, her tears caught by the wind. She hung her head. If she weren’t so tired she’d continue the chase. But
instead, she returned to her empty bed. Her cold, lonely, empty bed. Soon, she drifted into a restless sleep. A few hours later the sun rose, her soft light painting Dash’s cloudhouse in shades of pink and orange. Dash yawned and woke up. Her pillows were wet, stained with tears. She had fallen into a restless sleep after the argument with Pinkie Pie. Memories of last night crashed into her. She decided to skip breakfast as she needed to make this right as soon as she possibly could. She flew through her open window and soared in the direction of Sugarcube Corner. She hoped Pinkie wasn’t still mad at her. After all, Pinkie wasn’t the type to hold a grudge.

That was what Dash hoped anyway.

Ponyville was just waking up as Dash flew over it. A few customers were straggling into Sugarcube Corner. Dash joined them. She almost ran out when she saw the murderous glare Mr. Cake shot her way. Dash gulped as she approached the counter.

“Hi, is Pinkie around-”

“We gave her the day off. WHAT did you say to her?”

Dash’s ears flattened and she suddenly felt like a chastised schoolfilly.

“She misunderstood something I said. It’s private. Where is she?”

Mr. Cake shrugged. “I think she was going to visit that unicorn seamstress, Rarity. Something about needing a makeover. You know, just what I gathered from her muffled sobs.”

“Thanks.”

“Out. Now.”

“Yes, sir.”

Dash practically ran out of the bakery, took to the air and flew to Carousel Boutiqiue.

“Welcome to Carousel Boutique where everything is-oh, hello Rainbow Dash. If you’re looking for Pinkie Pie-and you had BETTER be-she just left.”

“How was she?”

“Distraught of course. I got the feeling she was somewhat exaggerating. To hear her tell it you turned into some sort of slobbering beast. While I don’t know why she would bake you a cake so early in the morning you could have shown some gratitude.” Rarity scolded in a tone normally reserved for her younger sister.

“Yeah, I know.” Dash mumbled. “Do you know where she is?”

“Yes. I’m not so sure I should tell you of course.”

“C’mon, Rarity-”

“Very well. But promise me you’ll apologize to the poor thing.”

“That’s why I’m looking for her.”

“She went to Applejack’s.”

“Thanks Rarity.” Dash said as she left. Dash took to the air again and flew to Sweet Apple Acres. She landed and knocked at the door to the farmhouse. Applejack answered the door and gave her a scaled down version of the glare Mr. Cake had given her.

“Hi, Applejack. Is Pinkie here?

“I don’t know if she wants to talk to you right now.” Applejack answered.

“I need to talk to her.” Dash said, aware that she was nearly begging and not caring.

“It’s fine Applejack.” Pinkie said as she walked up to her fellow Earth Pony. She’d gotten a haircut though it was only a few inches shorter than her usual look. It also looked like her pink fur had been moisturized. Dash only knew that word because she spent too much time around Rarity.

“Pinkie, can we talk? In private?”

Applejack stayed next to Pinkie.

‘Alright, she should be the Element of Loyalty, I’m doing a shitty job of it.’

“It’s alright, Applejack. Really.” Pinkie said, uncharacteristically serious.

“Alright then.” She finally said. She walked in. Pinkie walked out and closed the door. She avoided Dash’s gaze.

“I guess you wanna break up with me?” Pinkie asked.

“What? No of course I don’t!”

“R-really?”

“I want to apologize. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

“I shouldn’t have woken you up so early.”

“Well, no you shouldn’t have. Look, Pinkie, I know you mean well, but sometimes it’s like you have no concept of boundaries.”

Pinkie cocked her head. Dash resisted petting her. “What do you mean?”

“Like when you were in bed stroking my wings. You didn’t know, but wings are really sensitive.”

Pinkie gasped. “Oh no! I didn’t hurt you did I?”

“No, but it got me hot and bothered.”

Pinkie blinked. “What does that mean?”

“It means it made me horny. It’s sort of a Cloudsdale slang.”

“Oh, you weren’t bothered like annoyed! You were just horny!”

“Yes Pinkie I was.”

“Maybe I should have stayed then.” Pinkie said.

“I’d have liked that. But next time don’t wake me up so early, ‘kay?” Dash said, as she drew Pinkie into a hug.

“I’m so happy we got back together!” Pinkie exclaimed as she hugged Dash back.

“But we didn’t break up.” Dash said. “I’d never break up with you.”

“I’d never break up with you either.” Pinkie said, resting a head on Dash’s shoulder. Dash’s tummy growled. Pinkie broke the hug.

Pinkie kissed her, her lips softly fluttering over Dash’s. “You still want that cake I baked, right?”

“Of course.” Dash said stroking Pinkie’s mane.

“Hay, weren’t you going to train with Lightning Dust?”

“Yeah, but that’s about an hour away.”

Her tummy growled again. “I, um, haven’t had breakfast yet.”

Pinkie gasped and dragged Dash by the hoof inside the Apple residence.

“Applejack I need to make Dash an Earth Pony breakfast! Can I borrow your stove?”

“Sure thing, Pinkie.” Applejack said. She was washing dishes in the sink, the Apple family having already had breakfast. She walked into the living room. “I’m glad y’all patched things up.”

“Um, what’s an Earth Pony breakfast?”

“Whatever the Earth Pony feels like makin’.” Applejack answered as Pinkie gathered up what had to of been a half pound of hay bacon. “…
Oh. She’s making a traditional Earth Pony breakfast.” Applejack patted her back. “If you can eat half of it you’re an honorary Earth Pony. Welcome to the tribe.”

Dash smiled. I wouldn’t mind being part of Pinkie’s tribe.

(A.N-According to my headcanon, and an alternative ending to Wonderbolts Academy, Lightning Dust wasn’t kicked out of the academy only demoted to Dash’s wingpony.)

Simper Fidelis

Dash soared along the currents of air, the wind whistling through her wings. She closed her eyes and embraced the wind. She was going at
almost the speed of sound, a blur to anyone looking from down below. She began to slow as she left Ponyville and came upon the great city of clouds, her ancestral homeland Cloudsdale. It was a vast metropolis of sculpted cloud buildings interspersed with rainbow rivers. The sight never ceased to amaze her, never ceased to cause her heart to swell with pride in her race and what they had built through blood and sweat and struggle. Not that she looked down on Earth Ponies or Unicorns, but Pegasii cloud cities were awesome. She flew over the main rainbow rivers. Her race were warriors, valor and pride bred into them by a harsh history of countless wars. Under Celestia’s reign peace had come to all the lands beneath the celestial banner, Cloudsdale included. Yet, that warrior vigor, that longing for excellence, had never been bred out of the Pegasii. Almost all Pegasii stallions and many of the mares joined the Equestrian Military. Even Fluttershy, though she was more likely to cower under a bush at the slightest disturbance than fight, was ferociously protective of both her friends and the animals she took under her care. Dash had personally watched her drive a dragon to tears and had learned to rely on her in dangerous situations. Yes, the Pegasii were a family of warriors, a band of brothers and sisters that supported one another and defended the nation of Equestria.

One, big, happy family.

That was why she was fairly certain Lightning Dust wouldn’t kill her for being late to their flying practice despite the glare she was giving her. Lightning Dust was doing loop-de-loops around the Cloudiseum where Wonderbolts cadets were allowed to train.

“You’re late.” She snapped.

“Yeah, yeah. I had a fight with my marefriend. Let’s do some wing-ups.”

“Already did’em.”

“Then let’s do some more.”

Lightning rolled her eyes. They were supposed to be friends now, but Lightning did nothing to hide the fact that she felt she deserved to be leadpony. She flew down and she and Dash got in wing-up position. Dash only did half the number of wing-ups she normally did since she figured Lightning’s wings were tired. Lightning scoffed.

“Only fifty? You getting soft?” She asked as she balanced on the tips of her wings.

Dash glared at her. “Actually I figured your wings were tiring out. Besides, we do want to get some flying done, right?”

“Meh, fair enough.”

She flared her wings and leapt into the air, followed by Dash.

“Alright, synchronized filly flash, one, two, three, GO!” Dash shouted. Both pegasii flared their wings and raced into the sky, doing a series of loops, spins, dives and twirls. They acted in perfect harmony, their feathers nearly touching as they finished the final dive. They dove straight towards the Earth, picking up at the very last minute. There was a time when they were not so in sync. After the incident with Lightning’s tornado nearly killing her friends Dash had been deeply angry at her. She could still remember when that had changed.

…

Dash was walking back from the showers when she heard something coming from the locker room. She walked in. Lightning was on the floor, crying. She sighed and walked over.

“Celestia’s tits, Spitfire didn’t give you the boot did she?”

“Just go away!” Lightning shouted.

“I could do that. But we’re technically partners aren’t we?”

“I-I just need to be alone.”

Dash cursed every motherly instinct in her body. Sure, technically they were around the same age, but there was an almost painfully youthful quality to the other pegasus. She wanted to be mad at her, but it felt like holding a grudge against a child. She felt an urge to hug her and tell her everything was going to be ok. She placed a hoof on her shoulder.

“Look, Lightning, I’m going to make a few guesses about you. Let me know how off I am. You had somepony tell you a long time ago that you’d never measure up, that you’d never be good enough. Your ex-coltfriend, dad, school bully, whatever. And you’ve spent every second since trying to prove them wrong. Striving to be the best till that was all you could think about because you just had to prove a point. No matter how much pain you caused yourself and everyone around you. Is that pretty much it?”

Lightning sniffled. “My dad. How did you know?”

“Lightning, that WAS me before I became an element bearer. You’d be surprised how fighting evil gods forces you to grow up.”

“Spitfire yelled at me. Do you know how it feels to get yelled at by your childhood idol? I used to have a little plushie of her…forget I said that ‘kay?”

“Sure. And I had all three Wonderbolts plushies.”

“And it made me think, what if my dad’s right? What if I really am a loser that’ll never amount to anything?”

“Well, you will be if you don’t get off your rump and do something about it. Did Spitfire kick you out?”

“No.”

“Then you have a second chance. If you don’t take it I will personally buck your ass to Las Pegasus.”

Lightning wiped away her tears. “Why do you care, anyway?”

“Because you kind of remind me of me.” Dash admitted. “Poseidon knows I’ve screwed up before and I’ve been given more second chances than I can count. You deserve the same.”

…

They soared in the air, spiraling around each other, their rainbow and lightning contrails intertwining. They divided again, flying in a sharp arc then landed on the ground.

“That was awesome!” They both shouted, then collapsed on the ground rolling in mirth. Slowly, the laughter died down to chuckles then they both lay still, panting and breathless.

“Dash?”

“Hm?”

“Could you teach me the Sonic Rainboom?”

“If I had a bit for every time somepony’s asked me that question…nope, cause I have no idea how to do it. I just do it.”

“Huh.” Lightning stretched her legs, then began preening. “So, what were you and Pinkie fighting about?”

“She woke me up at four in the morning cause she baked me a cake.”

“Wow. I’d have dumped her.”

“Well, you gotta take the good with the bad. You ever had a special somepony?”

“Nope. All I’m interested in is being the best flyer I can. It seems like having a relationship would only pull me down. I’m free like the wind.”

“You’re wrong, y’know. Pinkie’s my inspiration. She’s always cheering for me. She encourages me when I’m down. So many times I’ve felt like giving up and only her kind words have kept me going.”

That wasn’t just in her training. Her cheerful laughter had gotten Dash through more crises than Dash cared to think about it. Whether going through the dark and untamed forest to confront a mad goddess to facing down a dragon Pinkie’s laughter kept her spirits high.

“But what happens when you do join the Wonderbolts?”

“When not if? Aw, you really do believe in me.” Dash half-heartedly teased.

“Oh, c’mon Dash we all know it’s going to happen. So, what then? My mom and dad tried a long-distance relationship. It didn’t exactly work out.”

“It doesn’t need to be long distance. She can come along with me and be my cheerleader.”

“Do you think she wants to do that? Doesn’t she help run that cake store? It doesn’t sound fair to her.”

Dash frowned. There goes that idea. Huh. I guess Lightning has a point. She yawned and stretched. “Let’s get back to training.”

They soared together, working on techniques and reviewing all their old ones. An hour later they were exhausted, drenched in sweat and seriously needing a shower.

“If it’s alright with you, I’m going to call it a day.” Dash said as she landed.

“I don’t mind. I need a shower and my feathers are a mess.” Lightning complained. They hoofbumped and Dash was off. This time she flew more slowly. The currents of air washed over her and she let them.

What if Lightning is right? What if what I have with Pinkie is going to end when I join the Wonderbolts?

She landed on a cloud. I don’t want to give up my dream, but I don’t want to leave Pinkie. And can I expect Pinkie to come with me? Is that selfish of me? Her home is Ponyville. Can I really just ask her to leave? Ugh, stupid Lightning. Why couldn’t she just keep her mouth shut?

After a few minutes of thinking she decided she was getting bored and took a nap. Her sleep the night before had been interrupted by guilt. Now that she and Pinkie were fine again she slept for several hours. She was awoken by the touch of a delicate hoof.

“Um, hi.” A gentle, soft voice awoke her.

“Fluttershy?” She asked.

“If you don’t mind, Pinkie’s throwing a party. Would you like to come?”

“Sure I would.” Dash yawned then followed her friend to Sugarcube Corner. The party was in full swing. Almost every square inch of the store was covered in party streamers and balloons. There were tables covered in cupcakes and muffins. She swooped in and grabbed a cupcake. Applejack waved her over.

“Yo, AJ. What’s up?” Rainbow Dash asked as she walked next to the farmer.

“I was thinkin’ we ought to go racin’ tomorrow. We ain’t done it in a while.”

“Sounds fun. You gonna tie me up again?”

Applejack chuckled. “Nah. This time I want to see if I can beat you at a race while you fly and I run.”

Dash grinned. “You’re on.”

“I know I can out-race you.”

“Well, I can outfly you.”

“Another Iron Pony competition?” Applejack asked, grinning as she already knew the answer.

“Iron Pony it is.” Dash responded, spitting on her hoof. Applejack did the same and they hoofbumped.

“Oh, there you are Darling!” Rarity trotted up to her. “I had an order for a pegasus and I need you as a model!”

“You know I don’t like modeling, Rare.”

Rarity pouted. “But Darling, your proportions are perfect!”

Dash rolled her eyes. “Fine.” She lowered her voice and ushered Rarity to a quiet part of the room. “But you’d better get me that discount
on my hooficures.”

While Dash used to not like anyone touching her hooves, after Rarity talked her into getting her first hooficure her hooves felt wonderful. She had started secretly getting them with Rarity.

“I already got you that discount. Would you mind joining me and Fluttershy for our weekly get together at the spa?”

“Don’t tell anypony, but yeah that sounds awesome.”

“Your secret’s safe with me.”

Dash went back to the table and got another cupcake and a punch. Even Fluttershy seemed to be enjoying herself as she was eating a cupcake and giggling with Twilight.

I wonder if I become a Wonderbolt will I not see my friends as much?

Pinkie’s laughter, Twilight’s love of knowledge, Rarity’s appreciation of the finer things in life, Applejack’s competitive spirit that challenged her own, Fluttershy’s kindness. They had all become part of her. She didn’t want to leave the little family they’d made.

But I don’t want to give up my dream. And I doubt they’d LET me give up my dream.

“You know, I can tell when somepony’s not enjoying one of my parties.” Pinkie bounced up to her and tackled her with a hug. Dash hugged her with a wing, relishing the feel of Pinkie’s body against hers. They snuggled together, but Pinkie pushed her away.

“Uh-uh, you’re not going to distract me. Why are you so frowny, huh?”

“It’s just, me and Lightning were talking and she kinda brought up something I hadn’t thought about. If I became a Wonderbolt I wouldn’t see you as much.”

Pinkie placed a hoof to Dash’s cheek, suddenly uncharacteristically seriously. “You’re not thinking of giving up your dream for me, are ya?”

Dash placed a hoof on Pinkie’s cheek and stared into her eyes. “Ya know what I want, Pinkie? I want to be yours and I want you to be mine. I want to build a life together. I want to build a home and we can snuggle on Hearth’s Warming Eve under a blanket with mugs of hot cider. We could throw parties for all our friends on Summer Sun and every other holiday and we could fill our home with happy memories of us and our shared life together. That’s what I want. I want to adopt Scootaloo and she can be our kid and we can raise her together and we can be a family. I know how uncool and mushy I sound, but I don’t care. I want to be a family with you, Pinkamena Diane Pie.”

Pinkie blinked. “I want to be a family with you too, Rainbow Danger Miriam Dash.”

Dash pressed her lips to hers and Pinkie pressed her lips back.

“But, we can do all that. We can be a family and you can still be a Wonderbolt. Cause I’ll be there. At every show, at every practice. I will be there cheering you on. Pinkie Promise.”

Dash smiled and held her and they danced hoof-in-hoof for the rest of the party.

(A/N-Oh my. That got a bit intense. I hope Dash wasn’t OOC, but she does have a tendency towards dramatics. the Sonic Rainboom episode breakdown, “My life is oooooover!” in Ponyville Confidential and several others.)

The Perfect Day

Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie had been dating for three months now. And, damn it all, they were going to spend the day together. They had barely been able to spend time together in the past two weeks. The Everfree Forest had apparently decided to go insane, spewing storm after storm that the weather team had had to beat back. Twilight had said it had something to do with an ages old primal force of destruction awakening due to an ancient prophecy, but Dash had tuned out after the phrase “the preponderance of positing that a pre-paleolithic pony pandemonium led to the complete abandonment of the blah, blah, blah….”

That’s what it sounded like to Rainbow Dash, anyway. In addition to Dash’s dilemmas Pinkie had been swamped with parties. Diamond Tiara had had a birthday, then Applebloom had been given a “sorry that I threw your rival a birthday party, but everypony deserves a party” party then Diamond Tiara got a “I’m sorry you were ticked off by the last party, but Applebloom says you’re really mean” party then an “I’m sorry I called you mean and made you cry and I had no idea I reminded you of your mother” party then to top it off an “I’m sorry your mom left you” party then a general party for all the orphans in town. Scootaloo had somehow gotten drunk on old apple juice and Dash had taken her home before she’d had an opportunity to steal some private time with the hostess. (Scootaloo wasn't an orphan, but she had come because Applebloom invited her).

Rainbow Dash needed an “I haven’t seen my marefriend in two weeks and it’s making me sad” party.

She sighed. They had planned the perfect day today. First they would prank all the ponies in town with a prank involving raining cupcakes. Then they would have a picnic by the river. After that Dash would take her flying on her back, like Pinkie had been begging her to do for ages. They’d end the evening making smores and cuddling on Pinkie’s bed.

It was going to be the best date ever. So, naturally, today the largest tornado in Ponyville history blew in from the Everfree Forest. Every pegasus, up to and including Fluttershy, was hard at work trying to push it back before it could reach town. Leaves and branches swirled around the forest, entire trees were uprooted. Bulk caught one of the trees before it could fly into town.

“Damn it, this storm ain’t natural! I’m going in!”

“Dash, wait!” Fluttershy called.

“I’ll investigate it and if it’s something major we’re getting the Elements!”

“Please be careful!” That was the last thing Dash heard Fluttershy say before she zoomed into the forest. She beat her wings hard against the powerful winds. She dodged the branches and the rocks. The winds pushed against her, but she pushed forward. The entire forest had been reduced to a swirling mass of leaves and rocks, branches and dirt kicked up by the storm. Dash kept pushing, increasing her speed till she was going at the speed of sound. The air crackled with power as the sound barrier shattered and a rainbow exploded behind her. Soon, she found herself in the very center of the forest. In the middle of the maelstrom stood a strange creature. She, if it was a she, appeared to belong to that ancient race called humans that Dash recalled from half-remembered foal stories. This human, though, seemed to be deformed. She was wrinkled and her face was covered in warts. She was also shorter than what Dash recalled humans as being. She cackled madly and waved her arms around. Lightning blazed from her fingertips and the wind swirled around her, lifting her robes and stringy hair.

“This is the new age! The witches have returned! We shall conquer all of Ponyland!”

“Yeah, not happening.” Dash then flew over and kicked the ancient evil in her face. She cried out and fell to the ground.

“Defeated! I am defeated! Oh, Reeka, oh, Draggle where are you?”

Dash felt slightly bad for the incompetent, easily defeated villain so she decided to put her out of her misery with another kick to the head. The witch dissolved into ash that the winds blew away.

Well, that was kind of pathetic.

The winds began to still before ceasing altogether. The light of the sun pierced the grey clouds and soon the sky was a bright blue. Sunlight sparkled between the leaves and danced on the forest floor. Dash flew up and out of the Everfree Forest and was met with her favorite sound. Applause. Every pegasus was cheering for her. Fluttershy flew up and gave her a big hug. Dash hugged her back.

“What happened? The tornado stopped all of a sudden.”

“Yeah, some witch was causing it. I don’t know.”

“Oh my. Do you think we should panic?”

“Nah, I handled it.”

That’s when a bunch of tentacles shot up from the Everfree Forest sending the pegasii scattering.

Celestia mother f------ g—d---n son of a ---- with cherry sprinkles on f----- top! Dash thought as she dodged the tentacles of whatever beast had just decided to awaken to ruin the day Dash had planned to spend with Pinkie.

…

Pinkie hummed to herself as she baked the cupcakes. She expertly cracked an egg over the bowl and began to stir it into the flour.

“Just take a cup of flour, add it to the mix…” Pinkie sang to herself. She was baking these cupcakes for an order that Mr. and Mrs. Cake had gotten. This order had come in all the way from Canterlot so it had to be perfect. After that she would make sandwiches for her date with Dashie. Oh, it was going to be perfect! They hadn’t seen each other in weeks due to Dash’s weather duties and all the parties Pinkie had thrown for two feuding earth pony fillies. They had planned a prank involving raining cupcakes and then they were going to have a picnic. Dash had even promised to take her flying! Pinkie jumped up and down at the thought. She had wanted to go flying with Dash for so long, to experience something of what her beloved experienced. Today, she had finally agreed to the idea!

Today was going to be perfect!

That’s when one of the ovens exploded.

Celestia mother f-----g-d—n rock f-----ing f----kers! The pink pony bounced around the room and filled a bucket with water that she threw onto the flames. Unfortunately the bucket slipped out of her hooves and knocked down the last bag of flour that ripped open and poured out upon the floor. Pinkie loudly cursed. The fire was out, but now they were out of flour. She’d have to go the store. Hopefully, the cupcakes wouldn’t catch fire while she was gone. She bounced out the door and towards market.

Luckily, absolutely nothing went wrong as she bought the required ten bags of flour. That would surely be enough to get Sugarcube Corner through one more week. Yep, absolutely nothing was going to go wrong. She bounced back towards the Corner. Black, thick smoke wafted from the windows of what was left of her place of business. Her jaw dropped. The fireponies had their hoses out and had already put out most of the blaze. Pinkie’s jaw worked, up and down. Mr. and Mrs. Cake were standing outside of the ruin. Cup Cake and Pound Cake were strapped to Mrs. Cake’s back.

“Oh my Celestia! What happened?!” Pinkie asked as she bounced over to the couple that was practically her family.

“They think it was an electrical short.” Mr. Cake said in a flat, emotionless voice.

“The cupcakes, the muffins, the cakes…they were all ruined.” Mrs. Cake said.

Mr. Cake wrapped a hoof around her, then another hoof around Pinkie.

“We’ll get through this.” He promised. Pinkie sighed.

It was going to be a perfect day. Pinkie sniffled. “W-where will we stay?”

“The fire didn’t make it upstairs. I don’t even want to think about how much it will cost to fix the kitchen.” Mrs. Cake said.

Pinkie nodded, numbly staring at the burned out husk.

“Hi, Pinkie what’s-oh.” Dash landed behind them and gawked at the smoldering remains of the store where she had spent so many sweets-and-love filled afternoons. Pinkie broke apart from her surrogate parents and threw herself into Dash’s hooves. Dash held her, slowly stroking her mane.

“I-I wanted to have the perfect day a-and it wasn’t cause there were all these orders and the oven exploded and Sugarcube Corner burned down and...and…” The rest broke off into incoherent sobbing. Dash continued holding her and stroking her mane.

“I only had to deal with a giant tornado, a witch and a giant tentacle monster.”

Pinkie blinked and looked up into Dash’s rosette eyes. “Wow. You win, your day was worse.”

“No, Your day sucked a lot more than mine did. We oughta go get some cup-er…we could still go pranking.” Dash tried to assure her while wiping away the pink pony’s tears.

“I don’t much feel like pranking.”

“Yeah, me neither. Do you want to go down to the lake?"

“That’d be nice.”

“Get on my back, I’ll fly you there.”

Pinkie managed a soft smile before hopping on the pegasus’ back and wrapping her hooves around her neck.

“Get ready!”

“Go, horsie!” Pinkie shouted, swatting Dash’s rear. Dash rolled her eyes, spread her wings and launched into the sky. As the wind blew around them, Pinkie rested her face in Dash’s soft mane. Dash smelled like rain and air and thunder. It was a scent she breathed in as if it was the elixir of life itself. With the wind blowing all around her and Dash’s storm-like scent filling her nostrils she began to forget all the struggles of that day. Dash flew slowly at first then began to gradually pick up speed.

“Hang tight!” Dash shouted as she suddenly pulled a corkscrew in midair. Pinkie shouted in exhilaration as the wind whipped around the pair and held tight to her marefriend. They dipped and dived through the air. Pinkie looked down at the hills and valleys spread out far below.

“Everything looks so small from down here.” Pinkie mused.

“Yeah. It really does.”

She took a sudden turn through a rain cloud. Pinkie giggled as the droplets of rain tickled her fur. Dash shook her mane, stray strands brushing her face and eliciting more giggles. Finally they landed at the lake. Pinkie dismounted Dash.

“Oh no! I didn’t bring a lunch!”

“Don’t worry. Some stray apple seeds blew over here so there’s a wild apple tree. AJ told me about it.”

“Ooh, let me see!” Pinkie bounced up and down. Dash flew into the forest and returned with several apples. They trotted over to the lake and sat down. Dash handed Pinkie an apple. She held it out to Dash who bit into it. They spent the next several minutes feeding each other the scrumptious fruit, sweet juices flowing down their chins. They licked each other’s fur clean afterwards, running their tongues around their mouths, lapping up the apple juice. Afterwards, they cuddled into each other. Pinkie lay her head on Dash’s shoulder while Dash wrapped her up in her feathery embrace.

“Dashie?”

“Hm?”

“I know the day didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but any day I spend with you is perfect.”

Dash pressed her lips to hers and Pinkie deepened the kiss, wrapping both her forearms around the speedster.

Pranks and Spanks

It was a beautiful Saturday in Ponyville. The sky was clear and the sun shone down on the peaceful village. Colts and fillies played in the park while adults strolled through their favorite shops. Pinkie Pie bounced around town. She had gotten off work early today and she didn’t have any parties to plan. She had spent the last half hour hopping down the road, then hopping through the market place. Then she hopped down to the lake and spent a while resting in the cool grass. Since all that resting made her hungry she hopped to her favorite restaurant and ordered a hay sandwich. Her mind turned to pranking. Of course, pranks were twice as fun when you had a partner in crime. She gobbled up her hay sandwich and went off to find her favorite partner-in-crime and the most awesome marefriend in existence, Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Dash! Raaaaiiiinnnbooow DAAAAAASH! Rainbow Dash! Rainbow Dash! Dashie! Where are you?!” She shouted as she galloped all over town, her eyes in the sky as she searched for the elusive pegasus. Yet, she was nowhere to be seen.

“Where could she be?” Pinkie wondered. Deciding she was visiting another of their friends she headed over to Sweet Apple Acres. The pegasus often enjoyed napping in the branches of the apple trees, but Applejack hadn’t seen her all day. Pinkie then decided to check on Twilight. The librarian unicorn hadn’t seen the speedster either. So, Pinkie headed over to Fluttershy’s.

“Oh, hello Pinkie Pie.” Fluttershy greeted as she opened the door.

“Hi, have you seen Dashie?” Pinkie asked.

“She just left. She said she was going to look for you. Something about a prank.”

“Yay! I had an idea for a prank too!”

“That’s nice.” Fluttershy said. Pinkie gave her an impromptu hug which the shy pegasus returned before she bounced away.

If Dashie is looking for me the first place she’d check is Sugarcube Corner. Unless she’s already been to Sugarcube Corner and I’m not there since I’m looking for her and she’s looking for me and we’re going to spend the whole day looking for each other which doesn’t sound fun at all.

She stopped on the middle of the bridge when suddenly she felt two hooves wrap around her middle and pull her into the air. She giggled as she felt the wind blow around her mane. While she was being carried miles above the earth she didn’t feel afraid. She could smell the scent of open sky and sun, the fresh smell of the earth after the rains have passed, the scent of her beloved Rainbow Dash. And she knew her Dashie would never drop her. She relaxed in her grasp. Dash nuzzled the top of her head.

“Looks like I’ve caught a pretty pony. What will I do with her?”

“Go pranking with her? I thought of this awesome prank to use on Zecora!”

“Zecora?” Dash asked as she landed and let Pinkie down. “We’ve never pranked her before.”

Pinkie proudly pulled out a jar of grape jelly from her saddlebag. “This is my grape jelly jar. The pancake house has great pancakes, but I don’t like their jelly so I bring my own.” She grinned. “Let’s go ask Zecora what color it is.”

“You’re a genius, Pinkie.” Dash said, grinning. “An evil, evil genius.”

They galloped off to find Zecora. They found the Zebra shaman meditating outside her hut.

“Greetings my pony friends, Dash and Pinkie

I greet you cheerfully!” Zecora said in her traditional rhyming style.

“Hi, Zecora!” Pinkie said. She pulled out her jar. “Me and Dash have been having a fight! I say this jelly is purple she says it’s blue! What do you say?”

Zecora took the jar from Pinkie and examined it carefully.

“This jelly is of purple hue

with so much sugar I doubt it’s good for you.”

She handed the jar back to the flabbergasted Pinkie.

“She is good.” Dash whispered to Pinkie who nodded.

“Well, um, thanks for settling that, Zecora.” Pinkie said.

“I am always glad to help a friend.”

“Hey, that didn’t rhyme.” Dash said.

“I do not rhyme all the time.” She responded. “I am about to have tea, would you like to join me?”

They shrugged, decided they had nothing better to do and followed her into her hut. After drinking some tea they said goodbye to the zebra and left the Everfree Forest.

“I think the jelly’s good for me. I mean it doesn’t have that much sugar.” Pinkie muttered to herself as she trotted beside Dash who was walking beside her instead of flying. She had a wing draped possessively around her.

“Y’know, you do eat a lot of sugar.”

“But sugar makes me happy! So it must be good for me right?”

“Um…it doesn’t actually work like that.”

Pinkie pouted. “I’m not cutting back.”

“Maybe you could cut back a little? Like five cupcakes a day instead of how many cupcakes you normally eat?”

“But I NEED those ten cupcakes before lunch!”

“Right.” Dash picked up a brochure for “Spouses of Sugarholics Anonymous” as they passed the library. Sure they weren’t married, but maybe it’d give her some ideas. She eyed her marefriend’s shapely rump. On the other hoof, maybe she was perfect the way she was.

“So, what do ya wanna do now Dashie? I say we play more pranks.”

“Sounds good to me. We just need to pick up some cupcakes.”

“To Sugarcube Corner!” Pinkie declared while galloping towards the bakery, leaving Dash in the dust. Dash took off after her, spreading her wings and soaring into the sky. A few minutes later Pinkie had collected the cupcakes and Dash had found a cloud. Dash nestled into the cloud, holding the cupcakes.

“It’s raining cupcakes, everypony!” Pinkie announced giggling as she ran through town. Dash followed close behind, dropping cupcakes on pony’s heads. They ran and flew all through town raining down a literal storm of cupcakes upon the unsuspecting townsponies. The prank was much appreciated as the townsponies caught most of the cupcakes for snacking. The fillies and colts of the town were literally dancing in the streets. After they ran out of cupcakes they went to Pinkie’s room.

“That was awesome!” Dash declared dropping on the bed. Pinkie straddled the pegasus and landed a kiss on her forehead.

“Pranking is always more fun when you got a partner.” Pinkie said. “Got any more prank ideas?”

Dash was about to answer when she noticed a cider bottle on Pinkie’s desk.

“Um, Pinkie? You been hoarding cider?”

“Just a few bottles.” Pinkie answered. “Applejack gave it to me. It’s kind of strong. It’s Earth Pony only.”

Dash rolled her eyes and picked it up. “That a challenge?”

“Dashie, that’s really not a good idea-”

Dash unscrewed the cap.

“Dashie, c’mon-”

She swigged it. Her eyes bulged and she started coughing. Pinkie jumped off her chest as Dash continued her coughing fit.

“Shit, this burns!” Dash choked out.

“I told you, you silly filly!” Pinkie exclaimed.

Dash stood up and stumbled. Then she took another swig.

“Dashie!”

“Damn, this shit is good. I can’t believe Earth Ponies are keeping this to themselves!”

“Dashie, seriously, let me see that!” She took it from her marefriend’s grip.

“I bet I could drink more of it than you!” Dash exclaimed.

Pinkie grinned. “I’ll be right back.”

She left the room and came back with seven bottles and two glasses she somehow balanced on her back. She poured herself a glass then Dash.

Dash drained hers, slowly and cautiously. Pinkie drained her glass in a single gulp. Dash’s eyes widened as Pinkie poured herself another glass and gulped that one down too. Dash swayed unsteadily on her hooves as she poured herself a second glass and sipped the liquid fire.

…

The combatants stared at each other, both slightly swaying. Pinkie poured herself her tenth glass of cider, Dash poured herself her fifth. She sat down to drink it.

…

The room was now covered in cider bottles. Both Pinkie and Dash were sitting down as they sipped from their glasses.

“Readys to givesh up, Drinky Dry?”

“Not on yer life Dashbow Drain.” The pink pony responded, gulping down her twentieth glass. Dash tried to gulp her tenth glass, but only succeeded in nearly choking on it.

…

It was morning. Dash knew that by the way the early, gentle light felt against her fur. Something soft and furry was curled into her side. She stroked it. Her head felt like a Minotaur had tapdanced on it and was throbbing with pain. She reluctantly opened her eyes. She was in a bush and wearing a harness. She knew she was wearing a harness since the leash to the harness was connected to Pinkie’s hoof. Pinkie was cuddled into her side and she had a wing wrapped around her. She curled around to look at her rear which was covered in spank marks and had “property of Pinkie Pie” tattooed on it. The pleasant sting in her hindquarters told her she had gotten the mother of all spankings at some point in the past twelve hours. She could vaguely recall being over Pinkie’s lap while Pinkie called her a naughty filly and smacked her butt. How they had wound up in a bush in their current compromising position was beyond her.

Also, a crowd of children and Cheerlie were staring at them.

Pinkie chose that moment to wake up and stretch.

“THAT WAS THE BEST SEX I EVER HAD!” She announced then looked at her surroundings. “Oopsie.”

Cheerlie face hoofed. “Get off the playground or I’m calling the cops.”

“Yes, ma’am.” They both said as they stood up and very slowly wandered off.

“So, you want pancakes?” Pinkie asked as they left the schoolyard.

“Pancakes and several gallons of coffee.” Dash responded as they made their way to the pancake house.

(A/N-Hey, like/dislike folks. Would you mind telling me specifically what you like or dislike about my stories? I use flames to keep my pet dragon warm and constructive criticism helps me to be a better writer.)

Betrayal

Rainbow Dash reclined against a cloud, relishing the light of Celestia’s kind sun as it warmed her fur and feathers. All of her weather work was done for the day and she had already done a bunch of tricks. She felt tired out and idly contemplated visiting one of her friends. She had visited Twilight yesterday for their weekly Daring Do meet-up. She had also gone racing with Applejack and had tea with Fluttershy this week. She liked visiting her friends, but tried not to play favorites. Her awesomeness had to be shared. Pinkie Pie crossed her mind as it often did these days. She frowned. At some point in the last month Dash had all but moved in with the pink party pony. More often than not she fell asleep with her muzzle buried in Pinkie’s cotton candy-scented mane on her bed while wrapped up in a tangle of limbs and wings. She wondered if she could even go to sleep now without the scent of sugar and the soft caresses of her lover to lull her off to dreamland.

There had been a time when she had been truly free, nothing to tether her to the hard earth, as free as the wind that soared beneath her wings. Now she had something to hold her down and she wasn’t sure she minded.

What in the world is happening to me?

She had been in love before. She had flirted with Gilda and Applejack. She had even had a summer fling with Soarin.

She had never felt anything like this. Her home was the sky. She spent countless hours soaring through it. She had spent entire days swimming through clouds. Yet now, she felt an irresistible pull to the Earth.

An irresistible pull to Pinkie Pie, an irresistible longing for her gentle touch, her tinkling laughter.

Dash groaned. She couldn’t stop thinking about the party pony.

I love her. I really, truly love her. That doesn’t scare me…does it? No, I’m Rainbow Dash, NOTHING scares me! I ain’t afraid of commitment!

She spread her wings and glided from the cloud.

“Long time, no see.”

She stopped, hovering in the air. She knew that raspy voice. As she turned her suspicions were confirmed. A griffon floated a few feet from her.

“Gilda.” Dash said. “What are you doing around here?”

“Can’t a girl see her old friends?”

“You haven’t been back since you went on that frankly racist rant at the party.”

“Oh c’mon you’re too sensitive.”

“You made Fluttershy cry. Fluttershy.”

Dash had heard about that from Fluttershy herself after the party.

“Well, she shouldn’t have bumped into me.”

“She is the sweetest, kindest-Why am I even discussing this with you?”

Gilda sighed. “Look, Dash. I’m sorry, alright? I really miss you and you’re right. I was out of line.”

Dash sighed. “I miss you to.” She admitted. “And I’ve done stupid stuff. Ah, what the heck? I’ll forgive you.”

Gilda smiled. “Thanks, Dash.”

“As soon as you apologize to all my friends.”

The smile faded. “Oh, fine. But you know how I suck at apologizing.”

“Practice makes perfect.”

“I’ll make things worse.”

“Try and I’ll still forgive you.”

Gilda rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll do it. Only for you. Anyway, I went by your house this morning and you weren’t there. Ain’t like you to get up early.”

Dash blushed. “I, um, I was with Pinkie.”

“Oh? She your nest mate?”

Nest mate loosely translated into spouse.

“No, yes, sort of, I don’t know.”

Gilda chuckled. “I wonder what she thinks of it.”

Dash blushed even more. “Forget it. So, did you want to do something?”

“Actually, yeah. I got two tickets to a race in Las Pegasus.” Gilda said. “Wanna come?”

“Oh my gosh, yes!” Dash said, excitedly doing a loop in midair. She flew over and fiercely hugged Gilda who wrapped a wing around her.

…

Not many realized that Earth Ponies had a special kind of magic. It wasn’t the kind that gave them strength or allowed them to grow plants. It was a deeper magic knit into the fabric of their souls. While unicorns were connected to the ethereal powers of the Cosmos and Pegasii were one with the sky Earth Ponies were at one with the Earth. They could feel the pulse of the land, the rhythms of the eternal cycle of the seasons. They could feel the currents of life and they could borrow this energy to give them their famed strength. They could also use it to calm themselves. After the unfortunate incident with her teensy-weensy psychotic episode Pinkie had begun taking lessons from Big Mac on how to achieve this calm. She accessed it now as she rested her hooves in the grass, breathing and allowing the Earth energies to flow through her and calm her soul.

Because she needed to be calm right now.

What if she says no? What if she says yes? Where should we have the wedding? What if her parents hate me? What if my parents hate her? What if on the day of her wedding she gets abducted by humans? No, that’s silly there haven’t been humans in Equestria since Megan left Dream Valley.

She breathed and tried to walk slowly. That didn’t work and she resorted to excitedly bouncing as she searched for the cyan speedster. She had finished her shift at Sugarcube Corner and then went and bought the betrothal hooflace. The last few months with her had been the happiest of her life. She wanted to share the rest of her life with her.

If only she could find her!

She bounced around staring up at the sky, hoping for a glimpse of a rainbow. She couldn’t see her flying along so she decided she must be in her cloud house. She bounced in that direction.

…

Dash and Gilda twirled in the sky, dancing through the clouds and around each other. Dash flew upwards, Gilda hot on her trail. Soon Gilda was soaring beside her. She bumped into her and Dash laughed as she crashed through a cloud. Dash grabbed a cloud and swatted at the griffin who deftly dodged the fluffy attack. Gilda grabbed a cloud of her own and lightly smacked Dash in the face with it. Dash yelped as she was sent into another cloud. She charged from the cloud towards Gilda. Gilda tried to dodge the speedster, but Dash got her in a chokehold.

“Oh, you wanna play Dash?” Gilda spread a wing and ran it along Dash’s side. Dash started laughing helplessly as Gilda tickled her ribs. She finally let go. Gilda chased her, continuing to stroke her sides till Dash was squirming and giggling.

“G-Gilda, stop it!” Dash retaliated by stroking her feather’s across Gilda’s unprotected belly eliciting howls of laughter from her. They separated.

“I forgot how fun you were, Gilda!”

“I forgot how fun you were.” She said. “So, where do you go for a decent meal around these parts?”

“There’s this great place, the Hay Shack. C’mon I’ll show it to you!”

Gilda followed Dash as they glided into Ponyville. Dash led her to the outdoor café and they took their seats. Dash ordered a fried hay sandwich and Gilda ordered a pork stew (they catered to carnivore customers.)

“So, what have you been up to?” Gilda asked as she blew on her stew.

Dash swallowed her bite of the hay sandwich. “I got into the Wonderbolts Academy. By the way, there’s this mare you ought to meet. Her name’s Lightning Dust, you’ll love her. Oh! And me and the girls beat Discord!”

Gilda’s eyes widened. “Discordus?” She whispered, a hint of reverence and more than a little fear in her voice. “The Evil One? The Bringer of Chaos, Most Foul Spawn of the Abyss?”

Dash nodded.

Gilda whistled. “Remind me to never really get on your bad side.”

“Oh and I singlehoofedly saved Canterlot from a Changeling Invasion!”

Gilda grinned. “Uh-huh. I read about that in the paper. I’m pretty sure Princess Cadance and Shining Armor’s spell had something to do with that.”

“Yeah, well I helped.”

“Rainbow Crash became quite the warrior, huh?”

Dash puffed out her chest. “Danged straight! They now call me…Dash the Conqueror!”

“I’m quaking in fear.” Gilda responded in such a deadpan tone Dash burst out laughing.

“So, what have you done lately?” Dash asked.

“I joined the Red Branch Knights.”

Dash’s jaw dropped. “Are you…the Red Branch Knights? The elite of the Griffon Emperor’s Guards?”

“Yep. I’m on leave. I went on my first mission not long ago to drive the Diamond Dogs from our territory. Being in the Knights has changed me a lot. It’s a lot of responsibility. I’ve grown.”

“I have too.” Dash said. “So, is it true that you have to kill a manticore to join the Knights?”

“Nah, that’s a tribal initiation. To join the Knights you have to kill a Hydra. Nasty little bastard. Tasted just like chicken.”

“That’s awesome.”

The two friends ate in silence for a while.

“I nearly died.”

“What?”

“A Diamond Dog band ambushed us with an arrow barrage. I pushed my commander from the line of fire. I got hit myself. I nearly died and I thought of you. How much I regretted saying those terrible things. I would have died without ever making amends and I’d have regretted it even if I’d been taken to Valhalla.”

“I’m glad you survived.”

“So am I.”

Then she leaned over the table and kissed her. Dash froze, unable to move away. Then she pushed her back.

“I’m sorry!” Gilda shouted.

“What the hell, Gilda?!”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me!”

Dash stood up. “Look, I had a great time, but I have a marefriend okay?!”

Gilda looked away and stood up. “I’ll just go.”

“Wait. I still wanna be friends, but I don’t wanna be with you like that.”

Gilda nodded though her wings drooped. She managed a weak smile.

“I’ll see you later. Tomorrow?” She asked, hope in her voice.

“Sure.” Dash said.

Gilda flew off. Dash shook her head. You poor lovesick filly…cub? She sat down and an unpleasant sensation settled in the pit of her stomach. Guilt. Guilt, cold and mixed with shame.

Why should I feel guilty? She kissed me! But I enjoyed it. If I really loved Pinkie would I have enjoyed it?

…

Pinkie rushed into her room and slammed the door. She threw herself upon her bed and wept. What she had seen ran through her head over and over again. Dash and that mean griffin kissing. All her darkest fears wrapped up in one image. No one really loved her. Eventually, everyone would abandon her. She couldn’t be loved because she was fundamentally unlovable. She looked up at the sound of a tap on her door. It was the special door designed especially for pegasii. She narrowed her eyes at the cyan pegasus, grabbed a lamp and threw it at her. Dash yelped and flapped away as the lamp crashed against the wood.

“Pinkie! What the hell? That could have hurt me!” Dash said as she flew back to the door.

“That was the idea!”

“Why would you want to hurt me?”

“Because you’re a stupid meanypants that goes around smooching meanypants griffons!”

Dash blushed. “Oh. You saw that.”

“I can’t believe how stupid I was! I was gonna propose to you!”

Dash’s heart skipped a beat. “You were?”

“I-I bought a ring, but then I threw it in the lake! Go away! I never wanna talk to you again! In fact, you’ll need to find a new Element of Laughter cause I don’t wanna be an Element Bearer anymore if you are to!”

“Pinkie, Gilda kissed me!”

“You kissed her back!”

Dash was silenced. The accusation was true. “I didn’t want to kiss her.” She offered lamely.

“Just go away and leave me alone forever!”

Tears welled up in Dash’s eyes. “Pinkie, please just listen.”

This time she picked up her nightstand and threw it. Dash let out a yelp and flew as the nightstand shattered into thousands of splinters as it crashed against the door.

“Go!” Pinkie ordered. Dash flew away. She hung her head and her wings drooped so that she could just barely maneuver with them. It was getting late, Luna’s moon now cresting over the horizon. Soon the stars would be shining in the ebony veil of night. Dash knew she should go home.

She couldn’t. Her wings wouldn’t carry her. She went into a just barely controlled spiral and landed on the cold, hard ground. She placed her head on the wall of Sugarcube Corner.

She had lost her. The light of her life and she had lost her. She slumped down to the ground.

Fine. If the only way she could be close to her was sleeping outside Sugarcube Corner then so be it. Hours passed and she stayed there soon falling into a fitful sleep. In her dreams she felt something soft and warm wrap around her. She snuggled into it and the scent of cotton candy filled her senses, soothed her troubled thoughts. She awoke as the soft light of the sun broke forth from the eastern sky. She yawned and awoke. At first she was confused by the surroundings she found herself in. Then the memories of last night came back to her. She struggled out of the pink blanket covering her. A letter was attached to it. She opened it.

You looked cold so I gave you my blanket. You can keep it. I’m going back to my parent’s farm till I can figure things out. Don’t follow me.

Pinkie Pie.

Separation

For many a rock farm was a dull and dreary place. Days were spent gathering rocks then breaking them apart in the hope that jewels would be hiding within them. It was hard work designed for a special breed of strong and tough ponies adapted to endless struggle and rough, barren conditions.

For Sue Pie it was home. She rocked back and forth in her chair working on her latest knitting project, a little purple doily. She was done with all her chores for the day and her husband was buying nails in town. She liked to knit, she loved weaving in colors and patterns. Sometimes she would sell doilies at market. She thought she’s keep this particular doily for herself. Maybe she’d put it on a wall. Her daughters were in town too, visiting friends. They’d grown up so quickly. She smiled. She was proud of her daughters, even Pinkie who was pursuing her destiny far away. She had dreamed of Pinkie that morning, which troubled her. Pinkie had been crying in the dream. A little bit of Unicorn blood gave her psychic abilities (and was the origin of “Pinkie sense”) and she always knew when something was wrong with her daughters. She felt the waves of dark energy before she caught the glimpse of pink approaching the farm. The pink, usually cheerful pony walked with her head bent low. Her mane was straight and lightly blew in the wind. Her gait was slow, barely quick enough to count as a trot. Depression radiated from her as she walked onto the ground of her childhood home. She raised her head and managed a weak smile as she walked towards her mother.

“Hi, Mama.”

Sue rose. “Hello, Pinkamena. I didn’t know you were coming to visit.”

“I-it was spur of the moment. Just thought I’d visit. Would you mind if I stayed for a few days?”

Sue wrapped her up in a hug. “Pinkie you are always welcome to stay here, you know that.”

Pinkie rested her head on her mother’s shoulder and then began to sob.

Sue held her. “Pinkie, what’s wrong?”

“I-it’s always like this.”

“Like what?”

“I-I fall in love and they always leave. Always, always, always!”

Sue stroked her mane. “What happened?”

“I-I fell in love again. I’m so stupid, why can’t I learn? No one will ever love me! I-I’m too silly and I can’t sit still and I’m annoying and random-”

“Pinkamena Diana Pie, you stop that this instant.” Sue said, wiping away her daughter’s tears. “You are a caring and wonderful mare who’s dedicated her whole life to making others happy. If somepony can’t see that, that’s their own darned fault.”

Pinkie’s break-ups and poor relationship choices were legendary. Sue hoped this one wasn’t in the Manehattan Mafia like the last one.

Pinkie sniffled. “I really thought this one was the one. I thought I loved her.”

Her? Well, I can’t say she don’t try anything new, Sue thought. “What happened?”

“I saw her kissing s-stupid Gilda! She said Gilda kissed her first, but it sure looked like she was kissing back to me!”

“If she doesn’t see how beautiful and amazing you are that’s her loss.” Sue told her.

“It hurts. It just hurts so bad.”

“It’ll pass, child. I made some muffins. Would you like some?”

Pinkie seemed to brighten somewhat. “Blueberry?” She asked, perking up a bit.

Sue nodded. Pinkie smiled, a real and genuine smile then followed her into the house.

“So, how have you been doing? And Daddy and my sisters? Is everybody doing okay?” Pinkie asked as Sue retrieved the muffins. How like
Pinkie, she mused, to ask after everpony else’s welfare even when she was in the throes of emotional turmoil. If she ever ran across the mare that had hurt her she was going to knock her right in the mouth.

“Everypony is doing well, Pinkie.” Sue answered as she placed a plat of muffins on the table. They sat down and began to eat them. Pinkie seemed to cheer up as she ate the treats. Sue figured they would get her mind off her troubles.

…

While Pinkie and her mother shared a plate of muffins, Dash soared in solitude over the splendor of the Bellephron Mountains. They rose up to scrape the highest clouds at the border that separated Equestria from the rest of the world. Some historians claimed it was here that the six founders had discovered the friendship fire that would help to forge their young nation. Only a few miles beyond the range was the Pony’s Democratic Socialist Republic of Flutter Valley, an isolationist and rarely visited country. Beyond that was Dream Valley, the cradle of Pony civilization and an autonomous province of Equestria. Dash, not being interested in any history that wasn’t between the pages of a Daring Do book, was not thinking about any of this. She was only thinking about getting far, far away. Away from her mistakes. Away from her stupidity. She wouldn’t face her friends, she couldn’t. What would she tell them? That because of her Pinkie left town? She didn’t want to face their judgement, their disappointed and disapproving stares. Twilight would lecture her and Applejack would buck her in the face.

She knew she’d deserve it. She had met with Gilda that morning before going out on this long flight. Despite the situation being Gilda’s fault she retained a fondness for the griffin. It had something to do with her being an idiot. She looked down over the towns nestled in the shadows of the great mountains. From this high in the air everything looked so small, just a patchwork of browns and greys and greens. She could make out the pink and yellow flag of the Republic of Flutter Valley majestically dancing from a tall, spired palace. How far had she flown? She knew she had been flying at supersonic speed, but somehow she had left Equestria’s borders. She knew very little about Flutter Ponies and couldn’t speak their language. She landed softly on the grass of an expansive meadow. Two graceful butterfly winged flutter ponies, armed with spears, approached her.

“Welcome to Flutter Valley. The punishment for illegally entering Flutter Valley is death.” The guard spoke in Equestrian.

“And dismemberment.”

“Not necessarily in that order.”

Dash dodged the spear thrown her way and zoomed towards the clouds. She perched on one. The guards hadn’t followed her. She couldn’t go back and she couldn’t go forward. Dream Valley would be more welcoming, but it would take a whole day to get to. And she was tired. She curled up on that cloud intending to nap for a little while.

…

As Pinkie mixed the flour she reflected that it had been far too long since her and her mother had cooked together. They were huddled in the kitchen, her mother chopping up carrots and celery for a vegetable stew. Pinkie, being an expert baker, was busy making some bread to go along with it.

“Ooh, ooh, you know what would be really good? Cinnamon! Cinnamon bread! Do we have cinnamon?” Pinkie asked, bouncing up and down. Sue rummaged around in the cabinets and tossed Pinkie a jar of cinnamon that Pinkie deftly caught it in her tail and began sprinkling the cinnamon in the bowl.

“Pinkie, I think that’s enough cinnamon!”

“No such thing!” Pinkie protested sprinkling more of it before stopping and pouring contents of the bowl into a pan. She then put the pan in the oven.

“Why don’t you help me cut up this celery?” Sue suggested. Pinkie hopped over, took the knife her mother offered her and started chopping up the celery. As she cut she lapsed into silence. Sue found it hard to believe it was the same pony that half-an-hour ago had been bouncing around singing about bread.

“What you thinking about, hon?”

“Have you and Dad ever had a big fight?”

“More than I like to think about.”

“Me and Dashie had fights too. We fought a lot actually, but we always made up. It’s one of the reasons I thought we’d always be together.”

The silence grew awkward.

“Do you think this is something that y’all can work through?”

“I don’t know. I ran away before we could talk it through. She tried to say sorry, but…”

“Maybe y’all just need a break. Back when you’re Pa was courting me we stopped talking for a month one time.”

“Ooh, what’d he do?”

“That danged fool took me to a Hayshack.”

“In my defense, I thought you liked Hayshack you silly mare.” Clyde said as he walked into the kitchen. Pinkie ran up and gave him a hug which he returned.

“Not for an anniversary dinner, you silly old colt.”

“So, Pinkie, this is a pleasant surprise.”

“I, um, I sort of had a fight with my special sompony. I just needed to get away.”

“You’re welcome to stay here as long as you like.”

“Thanks, Papa.” Pinkie said.

Soon, the smell of baking bread and vegetable soup filled the little cottage the Pie family called home. Pinkie, her parents and her sisters gathered around the table and her sisters regaled her with tales of their own romantic fumbles. After supper she volunteered to help her mother with the dishes. She then passed the family altar upon which sat a photograph of Granny Pie and several other ancestors. But Granny Pie always took precedence in her heart.

“Oh, Granny.” She prayed. “I wish I knew what to do.”

Because as she looked around the cottage she’d spent her filly hood in she was finding it hard to

remember why she’d left it.

…

Dash had never been to Dream Valley. She vaguely recalled a few history lessons about it. There was a war or something that happened there about a decade ago when the Flutter Ponies invaded or attempted to liberate it depending on what newspaper you read. Dash was flying without direction, without purpose. She was trying to figure out how, in the course of twenty-four hours, things had gone so terribly wrong. She didn’t want to go back to her friends. She wouldn’t know how to explain this latest screw-up to her family. She didn’t know anyone in Dream Valley. It was perfect. She landed in a small town ringed by fruitful, tree-laden hills. Pegasii and unicorns and earth ponies strolled the streets. Dash lost herself in a marketplace. The sun had begun to set, but Luna’s moon had not yet crested over the horizon. Dash needed to find a hotel before it got too late. She didn’t want to be in a strange town at night without any place to stay.

…

Pinkie Pie had been away from the land for a long time. Half a decade had passed since she had mined her last rock. That morning she had woken up, helped her mother cook and decided to help out on the farm. She had nothing better to do and it kept her mind off certain other things. She felt the energies of the rocks around her as she pushed them towards the pile. It was a boring task, but calming somehow. As she pushed the igneous she wondered if this was why some ponies meditated. A certain somepony used to meditate.

She wasn’t thinking about that certain somepony. She dutifully rolled the rock into the pile of its brethren. Now that they were gathered she went and got a pickaxe. She brought the pickaxe down with such force that it crushed the rock, jewels and all.

“Whoa there, Pinkie!” Her pa grabbed the pickaxe just as she was about to bring it down again. “We’re supposed to be getting’ the jewels out, not crushin’em.”

“Oops.” Pinkie said, looking down at the powder that had once been rocks.

“Why don’t you go help your sisters with their piles?”

“Sure thing, Papa.” Pinkie said as she hopped away. She rolled a granite rock as she trotted beside Binkie.

“Are you feeling all right, Sister?” Binkie asked as she placed her rock with the rest. Pinkie placed her rock next to it. They trotted back to the scattered rocks.

“Oh, yeah I’m fine! I mean sure I was sad, but I’m fine now!” Pinkie said. Her smile hurt.

Binkie patted her back. “I can tell when you’re lying, Pinkie.”

Pinkie sighed. “I might not be as happy as I usually am.”

For a half-hour they rolled rocks in silence. Pinkie tried to lose herself in the endless rolling of the rocks, pushed all other thoughts aside and immersed herself in the energy of the earth that flowed around her and through her. Her world was rocks.

There was no place for rainbows.

Then she took a pickaxe and gently tapped it. It fell open, revealing glittering jewels shining in the sun. They were sapphires, as blue as the sky.

She bit back her tears and went back to rolling rocks.

…

Gilda was facing a decision. After her talk with Dash that morning she was feeling something unpleasant. She thought it was called guilt, but she’d had limited experience with that emotion so she wasn’t sure. Pinkie had left town, convinced that Dash had betrayed her. Gilda could use this to her advantage and woo Dash. Or she could find Pinkie and explain that it was she who kissed Dash.

She flew high above the world searching for a rock farm. Once she located one she landed. The bearded patriarch of the farm placed his pick-axe down and trotted up to her.

“Welcome, stranger. What can I do for you?”

Gilda scratched the dirt with her talons, the Griffon equivalent to pawing the ground. “Is Pinkie Pie here? One of her friends told me she grew up here.”

His eyes narrowed. “Yeah.”

“Can I speak with her?”

“Do you think she wants to speak to you? I’m assuming you’re the ‘meany, marefriend-stealling bird-brained bitch?’’”

Gilda winced. “Yeah. That’s me. And I need to speak to her.”

“Your funeral. Pinkie Pie, you got a visitor!” The elder shouted. Soon, the pink pony came into view. She was sweating and looked like she’d been crying.

“What is SHE doing here?” Pinkie demanded as if the griffon had defiled the sacredness of her ancestral home by setting her talons upon it.

“Look, Pinkie. We need to talk.”

“I don’t wanna talk to you.”

“I-”

“She said she didn’t want to talk.” The elder pony said.

“Look, if you’re hurting imagine how Dash feels. She’s a mess, Pinkie. I know you care about her.”

“Why should she be hurting?” Pinkie demanded. “She betrayed me!”

“No she didn’t. I kissed her because I’m an idiot.”

Pinkie was silent as she absorbed this information.

“She shouldn’t have to suffer for my stupidity. I love her too, Pinkie. But I know she only loves you. She told me so.”

Pinkie lapsed into silence.

“Just think about what I said, okay?” Gilda said. She spread her wings and took off.

Letters

Sometimes Fluttershy worried she was a bad pony. Sure, she had dedicated her life to the care of animals and always treated everyone she met with kindness. Still, there was one pony she worried she might not be a very good friend to.

Pinkie Pie.

Now, she enjoyed Pinkie’s parties (who didn’t?) and they often shared tea together. Sometimes she could be a bit loud and scare her animals, but Fluttershy tolerated that. Pinkie was a good friend who made everypony she met happy. But, there was something about her Fluttershy just flat out couldn’t stand. Pinkie Pie, you see, had stolen Rainbow Dash from her. Of course, Fluttershy had no real claim over Rainbow Dash. Her feeling of jealousy was utterly irrational. But Dash was her first friend. Dash had defended her from childhood bullies. They had once flown together through the clouds, snuggled on cloudbanks. It was all innocent friendship, but sometimes Fluttershy wondered if it could have been something more. That had never happened though and now Fluttershy was involved in a secret romance with Big Mac. Of course, she and Dash still hung out. But Dash didn’t hang out with her nearly as much as she hung out with Pinkie. Pinkie, after all, was Dash’s marefriend. When Pinkie and Dash had announced that Fluttershy had had to leave the room on the pretense of going to the bathroom. Those utterly irrational jealous thoughts had nearly caused her to lash out.

'What in the world could you see in her, Dash? She never takes anything seriously! She’ll only hurt you in the end!' Fluttershy had wanted to scream at her rainbow-maned friend. Instead, she had kept her peace. Two weeks ago, both Pinkie and Dash had disappeared. Dash had sent her a letter explaining the fight she’d had with Pinkie. She had decided to spend some time practicing her flying on the famed Megan’s Hill Ridge of Dream Valley. Pinkie had come on home to Ponyville today and been asking around for Dash. Nopony knew where she was.

Nopony except Fluttershy.

“N-no. I-I don’t know where she is. I haven’t seen her.” Fluttershy stuttered as she wilted under Pinkie’s sad gaze. Pinkie was standing at the door to her place.

“Are you sure? Do you know where she could be?”

Beads of sweat broke out on the pegasus’s forehead beneath the relentless, blue gaze. “Sh-she told me not to tell you, I’m sorry.”

Pinkie’s face fell.

“Please forgive me.” Fluttershy whimpered, lowering her head. Her pink mane fell across her face.

Pinkie sighed. Fluttershy had never seen her so down. Her mane hung limp and straight. Her eyes were red with crying.

“If…if I gave you a letter would you give it to her?” Pinkie asked.

Fluttershy nodded. Then she embraced her. Pinkie rested her head on her stomach.

“I love her. I love her so much. I just want a second chance with her.”

Fluttershy held her.

'If you love her, why’d you hurt her? Do you have any idea how devastated she is? Do you have any idea how much you mean to her? If you ever hurt her again…I’ll be very disappointed in you!'

She said none of this. She only stroked the party pony’s mane till she stopped crying.

“Pinkie, would you like some tea?” Fluttershy asked, sweetly smiling. “I have some wonderful chamomile. It’s calming.”

Pinkie wiped her eyes. “That sounds nice. But I need to write that letter.”

“I have some paper and a quill.”

Pinkie followed after Fluttershy. Fluttershy put on some paper while Pinkie rested on the couch. A squirrel jumped on her lap and she stroked its head. It chittered happily.

“Aw, he likes you.” Fluttershy cooed. Pinkie smiled. The yellow pegasus found a quill and a paper and handed it to Pinkie. Pinkie popped the quill in her mouth and began to write. Fluttershy went to attend to her tea.

Pinkie stared at the words she’d written. She wasn’t sure they made sense. She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to write.

'Dear Dashie,

I forgive you. Please forgive me for not listening when you tried to explain things. I just want to hold you again. I just want to see you again. I want to watch you do tricks just for me. Every time I look to the sky I remember your beautiful fur, running my hooves through it. Please come back home, Dashie. I miss you.'

“Fluttershy? Do you have an envelope?”

“Somewhere around here.” Fluttershy answered, trotting into the room with some tea. “You can put it on the counter. I’ll send it.” She hoofed Pinkie the tea then sat down on the chair with her own tea.

…

A few days later, Dash was gliding over the hills. It had been a peaceful and relaxing week. She was bored out of her skull. The ponies of Dream Valley were among the friendliest she’d ever met. In fact, they were a bit too friendly. She had gone out drinking the night before. She still remembered the strong, earth pony stallion she’d met. She corkscrewed several times before she snapped her wings shut and let herself fall towards the ground. Just as she was a few feet from hitting the hill, she spread her wings and soared over it. She landed in the valley to the cheer of an audience that had gathered to watch her stunts. She felt the warm glow that always came from applause and took a bow. Then she returned to the sky. She flew from the hills and found a cloud to rest on. The stallion she’d met had been cute, there was no doubt about it. He was a chestnut brown pegasus with strong wings. Everything about him looked strong. She had fantasized about wrapping herself up in his wings. They had sat drinking together before stumbling to a motel room. He had gone to kiss her, but then she had pushed away.

“What’s wrong? I thought you wanted this.” He’d said.

“I thought I did.” When he’d gone to kiss her all she’d been able to think about was the sugary taste of Pinkie’s lips. All she’d been able to think about was Pinkie. “I’m sorry. I can’t do this!”

Then she’d ran from him, leaving him baffled. Dash laid back on the cloud. This wasn’t like her. She’d had lots of break-ups and most of the time was able to move on from them. Pinkie had unceremoniously dumped her. Why couldn’t she move on? Why couldn’t she stop thinking about her? And most pathetically of all, why had she kept Pinkie’s blanket? She rolled over and decided to take a nap. She drifted into a light sleep. When she awoke she felt a sudden urge to go to the post office. She’d opened a post box here so she could send and get letters from Fluttershy, the only friend she’d contacted. She’d been trying to work out her feelings, but her mind was still confused. She left the cloud and flew into town. She could feel it, the subtle resonance that told her a fellow Element Bearer was trying to contact her. It was faint and she was surprised she could still feel it.

After all, she had rejected her Element. She trotted to her P.O. Box and opened it. There was a scroll inside.

“Pinkie?” She whispered as she took it in her hooves. The memories all flooded back to her. Shared laughter on long love-filled nights. Days they spent planning and pulling pranks. The scent of her, sweet yet somehow earthy. She held the letter in her hooves, then thought about crumpling it up.

'You want to see me again? I hurt you Pinkie. I betrayed you, betrayed the very thing I’m supposed to be.'

She held the letter uncertain as to what to do with it. Maybe she should write back? She flew from the cloud and headed back to town. She searched the market and found a quill and piece of paper. Then she glided back to the hotel room she was staying at. Ten minutes later she had a quill hovering over a parchment and absolutely nothing would come to mind. Finally she wrote something.

'Pinkie, I’m a stupid jerk. I hurt you and I’m sorry. I betrayed my Element when I let Gilda kiss me. I’m not worthy of you. Please, let me go.'

Her stupid eyes mutinied and tears fell on the paper. She then put it in an envelope and headed to the post office.

…

It was the next day that Pinkie received the letter. She read over it and then went to her room to write a letter of her own.

'Dashie, I forgive you. Everypony makes mistakes. There was this one time I ate a bunch of cupcakes and Mr. Cake docked my pay for eating the merchandise. It’s happened a lot actually. Nopony’s perfect, including me. Please come back home.'

She then raced down to send the letter. Derpy was flying by and took it for her. She got Dash’s letter back the next day.

'I’m the Element of LOYALTY and I cheated on my marefriend. That’s a little worse than eating cupcakes.'

Pinkie shook her head after she read that, got another parchment and began to write.

'What do you want me to do, Dashie? Shout at you? Beat you up? I forgive you, okay? I’m the Element of Laughter, but sometimes I get sad. We’re not our elements. And Gilda told me what happened. She’s a good friend. It wasn’t your fault.'

…

Dash sat in her room reading the letter Pinkie had sent her. She set it down, sipped some cider and got a new piece of parchment. She began to write.

'Gilda is kind of a crappy friend. I don’t feel like I’m a good marefriend. A good marefriend wouldn’t have let another mare kiss her.' She then headed to the post office to send it.

Reading and sending letters to each other became a daily ritual.

'Hey Dashie.' Pinkie’s letter began. 'Applejack came by here today. So did Twilight. They miss you. We all miss you. I want to watch you fly again, I want to hear your voice. I want to be wrapped in your wings. They always made me feel safe cause I knew they belonged to a fearless warrior who would protect me from anything.'

…

'I’ll come back soon I promise.' Dash’s letter responded. 'I guess I’m working things out in my head. What do you do if you lose connection to an Element? I feel like I have. How can I be Loyalty if I betrayed you? I’ve lost part of myself and I don’t know where to find it again. You say it wasn’t my fault, but I could have pushed her away. Part of me thinks I enjoyed it. I’m sorry.'

...

'It’s a kiss, Silly. Of course you enjoyed it. Doesn’t mean you wanted it. And I asked Twilight. You *can’t* lose a connection to an Element. It’s part of you. It always will be.'

…

'If that’s true, Pinkie, why do I feel this way? I can’t deal with it. I don’t know what to do. I hate feelings sometimes.'

...

'Sounds like you need somepony whose special talent is making others happy? Somepony like me? I bet Tank misses you! Hey, where is Tank? Did you bring him with you? Gummy misses their tea dates.'

…

'As if. I took Tank with me. He was nestled in my saddle bag. I guess I’m just afraid to hurt you again. I love you Pinkie. I’d never want to hurt you, but I have. What if I hurt you again?'

…

'Remember that time I woke you up in the middle of the night even though I knew you needed to get up early? Remember all the times I’ve been annoying and hurt you without meaning to? We’ve gotten through so much together. I want to make you smile again.'

…

'We have gotten through a lot haven’t we? You remember when we fought Nightmare Moon (how could you not?) and we all got spooked by those crazy trees, but you laughed at them? I thought there’s an awesome mare. I think that’s when I started falling in love with you.'

…

'We’ve been through so much more than that, silly! There was Discord and the Changelings. There was that time I went crazy and Twilight went a little loopy too. Then there was that nasty King Sombra. We saved an Empire together, remember? We can get through this too. As long as we do it together!'

…

'I don’t know if I could have gone through it all without you at my side. I mean I love Twi and AJ and Fluttershy and even Rarity like they were my sisters, but you have always meant something more to me. Your laughter carried me through it all. I want to hear your laughter again. I’ll be coming home soon.'

…

Dash soared over the Bellephron Mountains and over the Flutter Valley Republic. Below her the lush, emerald valleys and still woods spread out before her, between them little towns and valleys nestled in the shadow of the great hills. She was far from Ponyville, but she would keep flying till she reached her beloved. The hills gave way to the Great Grass Sea, the plains that the Dream Valley Ponies had walked during the Blizzard. Flags fluttering in the breeze, emblazoned with the sun and moon, told Dash she was approaching her homeland. She wanted to fly till she got to her, till she could wrap the party pony up in her wings. Still, her wings were straining against the cold air and her breaths were coming in short bursts. She went into a controlled fall and landed by a well. She grabbed a bucket, dipped it in the well and drank deeply. She sat to rest for a few moments before taking to the sky again, this time letting her wings catch a thermal that carried her in the direction of Ponyville. She passed by her cloudhouse briefly to leave Tank. Then she landed at Ponyville’s outskirts and was suddenly knocked over by a pink blur.

“Pinkie, what the…?”

Pinkie buried her muzzle into Dash’s neck.

Dash instinctively covered her in her wings. Pinkie’s sweet scent filled Dash. She had not realized how much she missed that scent. Pinkie wrapped her hooves around her. Dash could feel Pinkie’s tears soaking her fur.

“I-I r-really missed you!” Pinkie cried, tightening her embrace. “I went back home and I thought I could forget, but I couldn’t! I couldn’t forget you! I couldn’t make myself stop loving you!”

“I couldn’t either.” Dash admitting, running a hoof through her cotton candy-like mane. For a while they just held each other. Neither wanted to let the other go so they didn’t, not until the sun sank to its resting place beneath the western horizon. And even then they walked so close that their fur brushed together.

“So, how did you know that I was coming?”

“Pinkie sense.”

“Ah. Pinkie…there’s something we need to talk about. I get why seeing me kiss Gilda upset you, but why didn’t you let me explain? Why did you immediately assume I’d betrayed you? And this isn’t the first time. Remember that birthday party where you thought we’d all abandoned you?”

Pinkie was silent and Dash was afraid she’d said something wrong.

“I’ve been abandoned before. Every marefriend-or coltfriend-before you has left me.”

“Pinkie, I swear to you by Poseidon, Celestia and Luna I will never abandon you.” She said as she wrapped a hoof around her.

“Never?”

“Never.”

Pinkie moved away from Dash and began rummaging in her saddlebag. She pulled out a box and opened. A diamond ring sparkled in the starlight.

“Prove it.” Pinkie challenged. “Marry me.”

Dash’s jaw worked up and down. “Pinkie we just got back together. Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.” Pinkie said, more serious than Dash had ever heard her.

“This could be a terrible idea.”

“And that’s stopped us since when?”

Dash laughed, the first time she’d really laughed in weeks. “Alright, Pinkie. Yes.”

Pinkie whooped loudly and jumped into the air before tackle-hugging the pegasus. Unfortunately the ring flew into the air. Dash raised her wing and the ring slipped onto a feather. Then Pinkie’s lips met hers and she lost herself in the taste of sugar.

Epilogue-Come My Darling, My Bride

Dash stood in the old grey stone temple, light streaming in through a window. On one side was her entire family. On the other side was Pinkie's family. While the differences were striking between the boisterous winged Pegasii with their brightly colored manes and the sober if noticeably more cheerful than usual grey and brown Earth Ponies they were all getting along.

Dash breathed a sigh of relief at that. Around her head was a bridal crown, a golden circlet in the shape of ivy leaves. Beside her was Pinkie. They had skipped the more traditional Pegasan rite of the groom kidnapping the bride. For one thing they couldn't decide who the groom or the bride was and it had sparked an argument. Around Pinkie's head was a crown of daisies, an Earth Pony tradition. Both Ponies had immaculately clean fur and their manes were slightly wet. Dash had undergone the ritual immersion in a sacred river while Pinkie had bathed in a sauna. Dash had rarely considered tradition important. But for this, she had undergone every dull, Pegasan ritual. She had prayed at the shrine of her ancestors, had gone through days of ritual purification...everything. Everything for the mare that now walked beside her.

This had to be right. Everything had to be right. Pinkie smiled at her. Dash's heart lifted up and she returned the smile. Dash thought about everything they had gone through. Facing Nightmare Moon and Discord, Chrysalis and Sombra. They had fought alongside each other so many times. She thought of how she had cared for Pinkie even when it meant missing a Wonderbolt's show, their weekly sleepover that had started this whole thing, the time they planned the perfect date then Pinkie's house had burned down and Dash had gotten attacked by an inept ancient evil, but it was still a perfect date simply because they were together. She thought of the heart-rendering moment when she thought their relationship had come to an end. Never again would she allow anything to come between them, not love struck griffons nor anything else that their crazy life could throw at them.

Speaking of love struck griffons, Gilda was sitting in the aisle with Dash's friends, including Lightning Dust. Both the griffon and the mint green Pegasus were engrossed in a whispered conversation. Dash had a feeling they'd hit it off. Slowly, Pinkie and Dash came closer to the altar where Princess Celestia presided.

She smiled her warm, motherly smile at them. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Rainbow Miriam Dash and Pinkamena Diane Pie. These two have shown a love that is strong and true, a love that has managed to survive through many trials. If anyone knows any reason that these two should not be joined let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

No one spoke. Princess Celestia nodded. "Rainbow and Pinkamena..." She rolled her eyes to high heaven at the formal speech. "probably don't appreciate all this formality. Pinkie and Dash have chosen to express their love in a way that combines the traditions of their tribes. Please, speak your vows."

Dash extended her wings, touching them to Pinkie's side. Pinkie shivered as they ran across sensitive spots. The sensation was familiar, but now the gesture was full of deep meaning. She extended her forelegs, touching them to the tips of Dash's wings.

"Pinkie, I take thee as my wife. My wings shall ever guard thee, they shall forever shelter thee. In sickness, I shall be thy health. In poverty, I shall be your riches. To me, you are my greatest treasure and I shall always hold you first in my heart."

Pinkie kept her hooves on Dash's wingtips. "Dash, I take thee as my wife. My arms shall forever encircle thee, my love shall forever nourish thee. In sickness, I shall be thy health. In poverty, you shall be my riches. To me, you are my greatest treasure and I shall always hold thee as first in my heart."

Dash moved close and they kissed. Together they spoke as her rosette eyes met Pinkie's blue. "Then let us be for one another a shield to the world, a fire in winter, a shade in summer and may our love through all ages endure."

Celestia presented a glass of cider, holding it in her magic. This was the Earth Pony part of the ceremony. Pinkie drank first, taking three sips. She took it in her hooves and passed it to Dash who took three sips.

Celestia took the bowl from them and took up a rope. They held up their hooves and Celestia wrapped the rope around their forelegs. "By this rope, I acknowledge the bond of love that exists between you. Do you vow to support one another through all trials?"

"We do." They spoke.

"Do you vow to be faithful to one another throughout all ages?"

"We do."

"Do you vow to love and honor one another?"

"We do."

"Then, I do declare thee wed in the sight of the Gods and before the Holy Empire of the Equestrian Nation."

Their families and friends cheered so loud that Dash was afraid the stone of the ancient temple was going to shake. The cheering continued for several moments before it died away. Celestia undid the rope. Pinkie bounced away from the altar. "Woo-hoo! Let's party!"

Dash chuckled and followed her wife towards the reception hall along with the rest of the wedding party. The hall had been decorated in streamers in every color of the rainbow as well as pink, balloons floated in the air and on the table was a scrumptious looking cake courtesy of Pinkie's employers who had also come to the wedding. The newlyweds darted over to the cake and cut themselves several generous portions before they were mobbed by their friends. Applejack took both Pinkie and Dash into a rib-crushing hug that the other Element Bearers soon joined.

Twilight nuzzled Dash and then Pinkie. "I am so happy for you two! Finally, I get to go to a wedding without any Changelings trying to invade!"

Pinkie and Dash burst into laughter along with the others. Pinkie wiped away a happy tear. "We'd have invited Chryssy, but we didn't know her address."

Her quip set off a fresh round of laughter. They went to sit down at a table and just before Dash could dive into a piece of cake, she felt a strong, rough hoof on her shoulder. She turned and came face to face with Pinkie's father's stony face.

A crack appeared where his lips were that suggested something akin to a smile." I'm right happy for you two. Y'know, I don't know much about mares, but I know about rocks. Pinkie's a gem. You treat her right and don't you ever break her heart, y'hear?"

Dash gulped. "Y-yes, Sir."

Pinkie's mom, beside her husband, shook her head. "Don't go scaring the child."

Dash's dad trotted over followed by her mom. He set a hoof on Pinkie's shoulder. "I know my daughter will give you many years of happiness. But, just like your dad said, treat her right."

Pinkie nodded and answered with a mouth full of cake. "Yes Sir, Mr. Rainbow Dash's dad, Sir!"

He chuckled. "Just Blaze. Or Dad if you prefer."

Dash almost asked if he could call Mr. Pie Dad. She decided against it. Mrs. Pie patted her shoulder, a gesture eerily reminiscent of Pinkie when she wanted to cheer Dash up. "He'll warm up to you, trust me."

Dash and Pinkie's parents congratulated them once more, they all embraced and then their parents went back to mingling with the crowd. Spike was awkwardly dancing with Rarity. Pinkie and Dash watched as they tried to figure out a way to work around their size differences. Cheerful music wafted through the hall and more Ponies drifted onto the dance floor. Even the Crusaders were jamming, or trying to in the elaborate dresses Rarity had made for them.

Dash reached across the table and grasped Pinkie's hoof. Pinkie squeezed her hoof and licked away the cake on her own lips before reaching over and licking a piece of cake from Dash's muzzle. No more words were needed as Pinkie took her onto the dance floor. Holding onto each other, they swayed and twirled to the music.

Whatever life, its joys and its trials would bring, from this moment on they would always face it together.

Author's Note

GildaDust forever.