Won't Let it Bring Me Down

by flaminkomage

Chapters

Chapter 1: Flashbacks and Memories
Chapter 2: Flying and Friends
Chapter 3: Dates and Thoughts
Chapter 5: Flashes and Lovers
Chapter 6: Hardships and Revelations
Chapter 7: Lies and Tellings
Chapter 8: Family and Feuds
Chapter 9: Tears and Joy
Chapter 4: Moments and Meetings

Chapter 1: Flashbacks and Memories

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 1: Flashbacks and Memories

It was a normal day.

Rainbow Dash was lazing around on a cloud, neglecting her weather team duties...

As usual.

"Hey Rainbow Dash!" a raspy voice came from beneath her. Dash jolted up, and peeked over the cloud. She instantly smiled upon seeing the new arrival.

"Hey, squirt!" she welcomed, flying down to the soft grass below. Scootaloo smiled up at her, as she ruffled her mane roughly. Dash gave her a small smile. "So what's up?"

"Well, me and the crusaders were trying to look for another pony to help out today.... and I saw you on that cloud up there. I just decided to see what you were doing. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle are both still over there!" Scootaloo exclaimed. Dash looked a little away from her, to see Scootaloo's friends staring at the duo. Dash chuckled.

"Hehe... well, you better go on over to them! It looks like they want to talk to you!" she said. Scootaloo shrugged.

"Well, if you'd like, I can stay with you!" she said hopefully. Dash chuckled.

"Nah. It's cool. Besides, my parents are coming over tonight for dinner. I need to get my house ready for them. You game?" she said, bending low, and stretching her wings out, getting ready to take off. Scootaloo's smile faltered, before turning wide again.

"Yeah! I'll see you around, then, Rainbow!" she said, before sauntering off towards her friends. Dash sighed, as she watched the three fillies reunite, and go off to play. She missed the times when everything was alright. She missed her freedom.

Until that day.

Rainbow Dash still remembered it, clear as the southern skies. The day when her life changed forever. It happened almost three years ago, when she was eighteen years old.

It was the day when her mother gave her the big news.

She remembered Firefly's face, when she told her about the arrangement. She still remembered her giant grin that was forever plastered upon her light pink muzzle. She remembered her own reaction to the news once she was told who it was.

That day, all those years ago, Rainbow Dash was told that she was to have an arranged marriage with one of the colts she hated the most from flight school.

She was told she was going to have an arranged marriage with Hoops.

Hoops was an old family friend to the Dash family. When Rainbow Blaze, Dash's father, heard that his old best friend Basket was going to have a colt, he instantly arranged a marriage between the to-be born child, and his own. Rainbow Dash.

Blaze sent Dash to school with him, to go and play outside with him, just to make her feel safe around him, once he uttered out the news many years later.

But of course, that plan backfired.

Hoops had turned out to be a bully. He picked on just about anypony in the school alongside his best friend Dumbbell. Especially Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash had grown to deeply dislike the orange colt. Although she never knew about the marriage. Perhaps if she had, she would have tried a little harder with him.

But alas, that was not the case.

The doorbell rang, making a faint tick ring out throughout the house. Dash rushed to the front door, and opened it wide with a small smile, as her eyes set upon her parents.

"Rainbow Dash! So great to see you, again!" Firefly exclaimed, pulling her daughter in for a hug. Blaze did the same.

"Hey, Dash. How have you been?" he asked. Rainbow Dash smiled, and nodded towards both of the older ponies.

"I've been great, Dad. Come on in!" she said, leading them into the house. Firefly and Blaze scurried in after her, locking the door behind them, as their daughter led them inside her cloud house.

The three settled down in their seats at the dining table, and stared at the food that was set before them. There were different kinds of hayburgers, salads, and a variety of fruit juices. Firefly's jaw dropped.

"Wow, Dash! Didn't know you could cook!" she said. Dash grinned.

"I can't! I bought all this from Carrot Top!" she said. Blaze shot his daughter a playful glare, and took a sandwich into his plate.

"Why didn't I realize that sooner?" Firefly mumbled under her breath as she did the same.

The three ate in silence for most of the dinner, Dash picking at her food, lost in her own thoughts. Mostly about the marriage.

The date hadn't been decided yet, but it was going to be held sometime after her twenty-second birthday. Which was only a few months away from now. Dash gulped, as she gave her parents a fearful glance, something that didn't go unnoticed.

"Rainbow? Are you alright?" Firefly asked, putting a hoof on her shoulder. Dash instantly brightened up, and nodded with a fake smile. She tried to wash the worry away from her face, but miserably failed.

"Yeah, Mom! I'm fine!" she exclaimed, a little too happily. Firefly raised her eyebrows, and shook her head.

"Dash... what's going on?" she asked. Dash put her fork down, and bit her lip, looking away.

"May I be excused?" she asked, getting up from her seat, and running up the stairs quickly. Firefly and Blaze looked at each other with worried looks.

"What do you think's got her so worked up?" Blaze asked his wife. Firefly shook her head.

"I'm not sure... but we're going to find out."

Rainbow Dash ran up into her room, flailing onto her bed, and wrapping the sheets around her timid body. She shivered, as cool air from the open window hit her coat.

She closed her eyes, and let a few tears escape them slowly.

She tried. She tried so hard to stop herself.

She tried to stop herself from getting to attached to a stallion... she had tried with her life. But it was proven impossible.

Memories from that day started to flood back to her. The day when everything had changed.

FLASHBACK

"Betcha can't catch me, Soarin!" Rainbow Dash yelled out to the baby blue stallion below her. Soarin cast her a large smirk, and nodded.

"Oh... you are so on!" he said, taking off from the ground, and beating his wings fast to try and catch up with the cyan mare.

The two had decided to train together after the Wonderbolts show in Canterlot. Soarin had simply invited her to hang out. Dash fangirled a little, before accepting his invitation.

And now they were racing.

Soarin beat his wings hard, easily catching up with Dash, who looked over to him, and grinned.

"Ready for me to actually try?" she asked. Soarin playfully glared at her, and nodded.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" he exclaimed, before flying faster and faster. Dash, from behind him, only smirked, flipping a few times, twisting her wings, and pushing off from a condensed air cloud that had just popped up behind her out of nowhere.

Soarin gaped as he watched the mare zoom past him with no restraint. She looked so peaceful, in her rightful home; the sky. Soarin inspected her form, and realized what she was doing to be going to fast at such a calm approach.

"Ahh... you're going to play it tough, huh, Rainbow Dash? Well then... time to play tough..." he grumbled underneath his breath, before flying faster. He twisted his wings forward, ruffling his feathers out, and pushing off from the air behind him. With no air cloud.

This of course, slowed him down a little, but he managed to catch up with Rainbow, who was busy staring at him with a surprised expression.

"What do you think, Rainbow Dash? Or are you too speechless to say anything?" he asked her snarkily. She shrugged while still flying at high speeds, and quickly turned, colliding with him, as he steered them over to a nearby cloud.

The two landed with a soft plop, and looked at each other, not daring to say anything. They noticed how they were sitting, with a straight forward attitude, and burst out laughing in response, relaxing their joints, and laying side by side on the cloud.

"So, I won, right?" Soarin asked. Dash gaped at him.

"What? No way! That was totally me! I won!" she exclaimed, before they both laughed a little more. Soarin wheezed, as he began to speak, still laughing inwardly to himself.

"You do realize we never actually set a finish line, right?" he asked her. Dash's eyes widened in realization, as she chuckled.

"Oh... oops. But I bet if we did, I would have totally won fair and square!" she exclaimed. Soarin shook his head softly, and leaned back in his invisible cloud chair.

"I really doubt that..." he mumbled, just loud enough for Dash to hear him. Rainbow gasped, as she flipper herself, landing right onto him. She leaned in, so that their noses were touching, and narrowed her eyes into a sweet glare.

"Do you wanna go?" she asked menacingly. Soarin's eyes widened, as he tried to wiggle free from her. But Dash didn't give in. She pounded onto his hooves, not letting him escape her grasp.

"Uhh.... no?" he said uncertainly. Dash nodded.

"Good choice," she said, before letting go of him, and plopping onto his chest. She rolled off of him, and laid back down besides his baby blue body. Soarinn chuckled.

"Oh good... I would hate to make a wrong one!" he said childishly. Dash grinned, before lifting herself off the fluffy cloud.

"I better get going. I told my friends I would meet up with them after the show. They must be worried sick about me..." she said. Soarn frowned.

"Awe..." he groaned. "Well, this was definitely a fun experience. I'll see you tomorrow, right?" he asked her. Dash grinned, and nodded, mentally breaking.

"Yeah. For sure. Bye, Soarin," she said, waving to him, and she flew away. Away from him.

END FLASHBACK

She didn't go back to him.

She left him.

She couldn't go back to him. If she did... who knows what could have happened!

She couldn't get attached to him. She was going to get married soon...

"Rainbow Dash, what's going on?" Blaze asked as he entered his daughter's room. Dash quickly wiped her tears away, and plastered a fake smile onto her face.

"O-O-Oh h-hey d-d-dad!" she said, still a little chokey after crying. Blaze and Firefly both frowned. Firefly walked up to the bed, and sat down besides her daughter.

"Were you... crying?" she asked with a tone that indicated surprise. Dash bit her lip, and looked away, not giving an answer.

"Uh... maybe?" she said nervously. Firefly gasped, and pulled her daughter in for a hug.

"Dashie! Are you alright? Why were you crying?" she asked. Dash shot a glare up at her mother.

"You know I don't like being called Dashie," she said. Firefly shrugged, and tightened her grip around the cyan mare. Dash sighed, and snuggled into her mother's arms.

"Dash... I'm being serious! What happened?" she asked. Dash inched away from her, and turned to her father.

"Promise you won't get mad?" she asked. Her parents nodded. Dash sighed. "I really don't want to do this arranged marriage thing," she said quietly.

Blaze and Firefly both stopped dead in their tracks.

"What?" Blaze mumbled.

"I don't want to get married to Hoops," Dash said. "He's awful..."

"Nonsense! I've met Hoops, and he's a very nice colt! He's perfect for you!" Blaze insisted, sitting down besides his daughter. Dash shook her head.

It was true, Hoops was one of the stallions who acted one way around ponies his age, and another around adults. Dash knew there wasn't anything she could do about convincing her father just yet, as he was just like she was. So she just decided to let it go.

"Whatever. Are you two sleeping over?" she asked, getting up. Firefly and Blaze looked at each other, having a private conversation with their eyes, and nodded.

"Yeah. I think that'll be best," Firefly said, getting up to help Dash with the preparations.

Chapter 2: Flying and Friends

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 2: Flying and Friends

The next morning, Blaze entered his daughter's room cautiously, to find her staring at a Wonderbolt's poster in a peculiar way. He raised his eyebrows, and moved closer to her.

"Good morning, Dash," he said, startling her. Dash quickly turned, and wiped a few stray tears that had somehow managed to roll down her cheek. Blaze frowned. "Dash? What's going on?"

Rainbow Dash simply gave him a cheeky smile.

"Oh! Hehe... nothing's going on! Nothing at all! Say, I'm going out for a morning fly. I'll see you later! she said, before dashing out the window.

Blaze scurried quickly over to the window, and prepared to yell.

"Rainbow Dash! YOU FORGOT BREAKFAST!"

Dash started beating her wings faster and faster, ignoring her father's desperate calls. She didn't exactly know where she was going, but she did know that all she wanted to do was get away from her family. At the moment, she didn't really want to talk to anypony besides herself. Maybe a nice quiet stroll through the park would help?

Dash nodded, deciding this would be the best option, and landed on all fours at the beginning of the trail that led through the thickets of bushes, trees, and shrubs throughout the Ponyville Park.

She started to casually trot on the trail, all traces of tears disappearing from her face. She wore a bright, genuine smile, as she observed the different kinds of wildlife throughout the park.

She noticed a little bunny, running over to slightly bigger one, and giving him food. Dash knew instantly that these two were partners. Fluttershy had told her enough about rabbits to know it. She sighed, as the observed them further, as they rubbed themselves onto each other affectionately. Dash's throat hitched up, as she realized she would never be able to experience such pleasure. She would never be able to feel warmth from a significant other. She would never be able to do anything that happy couples could experience. Because one thing was definitely for sure.

She would never get along with Hoops. No matter how much she tried, she would never really be able to experience anything nice from him. Because that's just the kind of stallion he was.

Dash released another heavy sigh, as she started to walk away from the two bunnies, and back onto the trail. She began to trace the path with her hooves, not looking around at anything. She kept staring at her hooves, before her eyes started to tear up again.

Why did this have to happen to her? Why couldn't she have an arranged marriage with somepony else? Why Hoops, of all stallions? Why the guy who always made a big fuss over her? Why the guy who never bothered to be nice to her?

Did Hoops ever know about the arranged marriage? Because if he did...

Of course.

Hoops already knew.

He knew that he was going to get married to her the minute he laid his eyes on her! Maybe that's why he never had a pleasant attitude with her! Maybe, if he hadn't known, he might have not been such a bully. This was just his way of venting all that pent up anger out! By... being a mean stallion!

Though of course, an impression had stuck between the two... Dash didn't think Hoops would ever change. No matter how hard she tried.

After her long stroll, Rainbow Dash decided to go for a fly.

She twisted, and turned on a puffy cloud that she had found a few minutes ago, trying desperately to get some more sleep. A nice, long nap sounded just about right at this moment.

Dash suddenly sensed a change. The cloud was weighted. Meaning somepony else was there.

She quickly looked up, to see a baby-blue stallion staring at her with a peculiar glance. Dash scrambled to her feet, and tried hide herself from him. Which of course, was no use. Soarin stepped up to her with a concerned look.

"Rainbow Dash... are you alright?" he asked her. Dash quickly nodded.

"Uh... um... yeah, Soarin! I'm absolutely terrific!" she exclaimed. Soarin raised his eyebrows, and gestured for her to sit back down. Once she did, he slid into the spot next to her.

"Hey, uh... I've been meaning to ask you something for a few weeks now..." he said. Dash's ears perked up, as she stared at him.

"What?"

"Why didn't you meet me again?"

Dash stopped dead in her tracks. Of course, she knew he was going to ask this, but to hear it out from him was a little overwhelming.

"What do you mean?" she finally settled on asking. Soarin sighed.

"That day, when we flew off for a little while, you promised me you would hang out the next time we saw each other... but that never happened. I was just wondering if you... had a reason?" he asked. Dash bit her lip, and shook her head quickly.

"No... I just... never saw you after that, and you know me! Shy as a frail little flower!" she said, putting her hoof behind her neck, and chuckling nervously. Soarin raised his eyebrows.

"Uh huh..." he said slowly, exaggerating every syllable. Dash gave him an awkward smile, before leaning back.

"I dunno... I guess life's just been getting in the way of everything..." she said. "I don't know about your's, but my life is pretty crummy at the moment..."

"Really? Care to elaborate?" Soarin asked. Dash shrugged.

"Nah. I mean, I could tell you all the boring details about my crappy life... but I don't wanna kill you," she said. Soarin gave her a confused look.

"How could you kill me by talking?" he asked. Dash rolled her eyes.

"I wouldn't want you to die of boredom," she explained heavily. Soarin made an 'o' shape with his mouth, and started humming slightly.

"Ohhh... I get it. Ha... hahaha..." he said, starting to laugh a little. Dash gave him a small smile, before pushing herself off the cloud.

"Well, I better get going. My parents are over for a few days," she said, starting to fly off the cloud. Soarin quickly got up after her.

"What? Again? Awe..." he groaned. "We were having so much fun, though!"

"Fun? You little goofball. I really wish I could stay, trust me I do... but I don't think my parents would appreciate me being late to breakfast. Besides, I'm starving," Dash replied, her stomach gurgling slightly. Soarin's eyes widened, as he brought forth an idea.

"Oh! I know! How about we eat breakfast out today? It'll be my treat!" he exclaimed. Dash raised her eyebrows.

"You mean... like a date?" she asked, deciding to be as straight forward as possible. Soarin shrugged.

"I mean, if you want it to be..." he said nervously, starting to blush a little. Dash bit her lip, and politely shook her head.

"Thanks for the offer, Soarin. But maybe another time," she said. Soarin frowned.

"Do you really want to leave that empty stomach of your's like so for longer than this?" he asked slyly. Dash looked away in response, and sighed, shrugging, and nodding. As long as she was careful not to let anything extreme happen, everything would be fine.

"Oh... alright. We'll go out. My parents will just have to wait," she said, grumbling a few inaudible words to herself. "But you're paying!"

Soarin chuckled.

"Deal."

Chapter 3: Dates and Thoughts

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 3: Dates and Thoughts

The two cautiously entered a nearby breakfast area that Soarin had suggested for them to go to. Dash looked around curiously, and relaxed by the sight of many ponies eating happily.

"Hmm... this place looks comfy," she said. Soarin nodded, and signaled the waitress a table for two.

"Yep. I've never actually come here before... but Spitfire and Fleetfoot have, and they've been begging me to try it out. Apparently, the cook is good," he said. Dash nodded, before being escorted to the table that Soarin had booked for them.

Art By: Rainbows-In-Reality

The two slid into the booth, and started looking through the menu.

"What do you want?" Soarin asked. Dash scanned the many breakfast items, and shrugged.

"I'm not completely sure yet. What are you getting?" she asked. Soarin set down the menu.

"Hmm... the waffles look tasty. I saw somepony eating them on our way in," he said. Dash chuckled, and nodded, putting her own menu on the table.

"Heh alright. We shall both get waffles!" she announced, just a little too loudly.

Soarin signaled for the waitress to come back, as he giggled at the cyan mare's weird behavior.

"What'll you two be getting?" the waitress asked them.

"Waffles for two, please," Soarin said. The mare nodded, and quickly exited the booth area with a smile. Dash then soon turned to Soarin.

"So... how's life?" she asked, trying to begin conversation. Soarin shrugged, and took a sip of the water placed in front of him.

"Mm... life is just perfect right now," he said with an almost dreamy gaze. Dash raised her eyebrows at the stallion, and slowly nodded.

"Err... okay..." she finally settled on saying. Soarin sighed.

"Sorry... but when you're on an almost-date with a beautiful mare you tend to get a little overexcited," he said in a dead serious tone. Dash snorted, before cracking up.

"Hahaha... sweet Celestia. Almost-date? Is that now a thing?" she asked, laughing quietly to herself. Soarin nodded matter-of-factly.

"Yeah. Behold, one and all! Soarin Skies has created a new word! With the help of his companion, Miss Rainbow Dash!"

"Oooh... now where's my money?"

The two began to laugh to themselves, failing to hold in countless giggles. Ponies had already begun to turn and look at them, curious as to what was causing them to make such a scene. Once they set their eyes upon the laughing couple, they simply smiled, and shrugged it off. Returning to their respective breakfasts. Soarin and Dash, however, were a different case altogether.

"Oh Dash... you're a hoot!" Soarin said, silently wiping a few stray tears that had foolishly escaped his eyes. Dash nodded.

"Well, duh! I'm quite the character. Ponies from all across Equestria come to see my magical personality!" she exclaimed. Soarin rolled his eyes, and nodded.

"You mean the brash, egotistical personality? Because I'm sure everyone has been dying to see that!" he exclaimed. Dash scoffed, and folded her hooves over her chest.

"Eh? Well excuse me for being an amazing mare!" she exclaimed, before the two laughed some more.

Rainbow Dash and Soarin exited the eatery an hour later, licking their lips in satisfaction.

"Oh that was great," Dash said, releasing a small burp. Soarin chuckled, and nodded.

"Yep. The place is really good for small breakfasts. I really should come more often," he said. Dash nodded eagerly.

"Oh yes! You definitely should! I guess Spitfire and Fleetfoot were right, weren't they?" she asked slyly, poking him in his rib. Soarin winced playfully, and pushed her to the side.

"For once... I guess," he said. Dash nodded, before flapping her wings to gain altitude.

"Come on!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hoof and pulling him up into the air. Soarin stumbled slightly, before rising up himself.

"Where are we going?" he asked her. Dash shrugged.

"No idea."

The two flew for a little while, before spotting a large bundle of clouds in the distance. Dash looked over at Soarin, and tilted her head slightly towards them.

"Sure!" Soarin said, understanding what she meant.

Dash landed on all fours on the fluffed up cloud, Soarin following closely behind. They both sat down, and just stared out into the horizon for a little while.

"I'm bored," Dash said suddenly. Soarin nodded.

"Me too..." he replied, before laying down in a childish manner. Dash did the same on her frontside.

Art by: Rainbows-In-Reality

"Argh... what do you normally do at a time like this?" she asked. Soarin shrugged.

"I usually... well... I dunno really," he said casually. Dash grumbled, and thought back to her parents. Her eyes widened in realization, as she suddenly got up.

"Soarin... I need to get going," she said. Soarin frowned, and grabbed her hoof.

"No! Please! Don't go! Five more minutes?" he asked, pouting. Dash shook her head.

"Sorry. My parents must be worried sick right now..." she said. Soarin suddenly pulled her down to his level, and wrapped his hooves around her middle.

"Then they'll just have to wait!" he whined. Dash rolled her eyes, and tried to wiggle free from his hold.

"Soarin! Let me go!" she yelled. Soarin shook his head, and tightened his hold on her.

"I'm the strongest in the Wonderbolts for a reason, you know..." he said, before pulling her in tighter. Dash flared her wings out, and pushed off him with a swift motion.

"Ha," she said. Soarin rolled his eyes, and flew up to her.

"Why can't you stay longer?" he asked her, taking her hoof in his again. Dash sighed.

"Because reasons."

"That isn't good enough!"

"Well, for me it is..."

Rainbow Dash shook out of Soarin's grip, and started flapping her wings once again to fly away from Soarin. Her heart was breaking on the inside. She really, truly, wanted to stay.

She could deal with her parents.

But could she deal with not being able to see Soarin? No. She couldn't.

And neither could he.

Soarin stared after Rainbow Dash, as he watched her fly away from him. He frowned. Why did she always leave so suddenly?

It was almost like... she didn't want to hang out with him.

It was almost like... she had some strange personal matter that she just had to attend to. Every single time.

Did Soarin do something wrong? Did Dash just not like him as much as he liked her?

"Rainbow Dash! Wait!" he suddenly yelled, beating his wings to try and catch up with her. He saw her small cyan figure in the distance suddenly stop moving, as her head snapped around.

Soarin flew faster and faster, desperate to get to her. Dash saw what he was about to do, and didn't stop him. She was just dead-still in mid-air.

Soarin clasped his hooves over Dash's shoulders, and looked her in the eyes.

"What's going on? Why do you always run away from me?" he asked her. Dash bit her lip, and looked away. Soarin frowned. "Dash... what's going on?"

Rainbow Dash snapped her eyes shut, and roughly shook her head. No. She couldn't tell him. She couldn't risk it.

"Soarin... as much as I would like to tell you, I can't..." she said, trailing off at the end. Soarin scrunched his eyebrows up in confusion.

"Why?"

"Because I just can't!" Dash said suddenly, pushing away from him, and quickly making her exit.

"Rainbow Dash! Wait!" Soarin yelled after her, desperately trying to get her attention again. He glared at her with a determined look, and flew swiftly over, until they were side by side again.

"Soarin! You don't understand! You can't keep following me like this anymore! There's nothing I can give to you!" Dash yelled. Soarin shook his head.

"Rainbow Dash! Please... don't leave me..." he pleaded. Dash looked away, and suddenly snapped her wings closed, free-falling down to the earth below.

Soarin gasped, as he made a beeline towards her. Dash glanced upwards, and saw that he was following her. Again.

She suddenly twisted her body, and formed a right angle at her curves. She flapped her wings backwards, and pushed off, creating a small explosion behind her.

Soarin gaped as she sped past him, disappearing into the distance.

"Rainbow Dash..."

Chapter 5: Flashes and Lovers

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 5: Flashes and Lovers

"I need to go."

Dash flew. She flew away from wherever she was. She flew to wherever she was going.

She didn't exactly know where she was heading, only that she needed to be away from her family. How could they do that to her?

Was friendship really more important than the ones you love?

Dash already suspected that her mother wasn't telling her something. That there was more to this than what met the eye.

She flew for a little while longer, until spotting a puffy cloud below, with a muscular baby-blue body on it. She gasped, as she instantly recognized it to be Soarin.

Quietly, Rainbow started flapping her wings in reverse, desperate to get out of there as soon as she could. Too bad the wind made noise.

Soarin snapped his head up, and turned around, looking right into the eyes of the paranoid cyan mare. His eyes widened, as he remembered what had happened that previous day. He stared at her for a few moments, before getting up, and flying towards her. Dash realized what he was about to do, and quickly zoomed away.

"Oh no. You're not getting away this time..." he said under his breath, as he beat his wings harder and harder, not caring about his endurance, and abilities He clamped his hooves around her body, and pulled her down to a large cloud beneath them.

"Hey! Let me go! What are you doing?" she yelled, trying to break away from him. Soarin only closed his eyes, and nodded, releasing his hold on her, but keeping her close to him. He placed a hoof on her shoulder.

"What is going on?" he asked her. Dash frowned.

"Nothing! And I'd very much appreciate it if you'd let me go! Why do you keep clinging onto me like that anyway?" she asked him, pushing herself further away from him with a raised eyebrow. Soarin narrowed his gaze at her, and quickly pounced, pinning her down beneath him.

"Because you're not making a barrel of sense! One second, we're enjoying breakfast together, and the next, you're screaming at me, and flying away. What is going on with you?" he asked her, beginning to raise his voice. Dash glared at him.

"Maybe if you'd stop being so persistent, I could get out, and deal with my own problems!" she yelled. Soarin's expression hardened, as he stared at her.

"Maybe if you told me about your so-called problems, I could help you!" he remarked. Dash snorted.

"Yeah right. And what help would you be? Oh Rainbow Dash, I guess I should feel sorry for you. Do you want a hug?" she mocked. Soarin gasped.

"How... how dare you! I don't talk like that! And besides, what could be so bad, that you can't tell me?" he asked, softening his hold on her. Dash got up, and sat down in front of him on the cloud.

"It is bad. It's very bad. You wouldn't understand. You'd never understand. No one would underst-" she started, before starting to tear up. The salty liquid started to roll down her clammy cheek, as she closed her eyes, and thought back to earlier that same day.

Soarin's expression instantly changed into one of worry, as he looked upon her distressed face.

"Rainbow Dash...?" he asked softly, cupping his hooves around her, and pulling her in for a hug. Dash's throat hitched, as she began to cry freely into his soft fur. She wrapped her hooves tightly around him, and just let everything out. "What happened?"

"I... I... I don't know..." she said. Soarin started stroking a hoof through her rainbow mane, and tutted.

"Dash... what's going on?" he asked her yet again. Rainbow Dash let go of him, and roughly shook her head.

"I can't tell you, Soarin," she said simply. Soarin breathed heavily, and nodded.

"Okay, fine. I understand. You don't have to tell me. But can I at least do this?" he asked.

"Do wha-"

Dash was interrupted by Soarin placing his lips on her's. Dash's eyes widened, as she felt him on her, and as he slowly caressed her mouth. Her voice cracked, as she realized what was going on.

Art By: Rainbows-In-Reality

Rainbow Dash aired her lips, before closing her eyes, and melting into the kiss. She didn't exactly know what was happening. All she knew was that she was enjoying it.

For a short amount of time, she forgot about everything. All her problems, worries, stress, and workload. For once, she forgot about the marriage, her family, Hoops. All that really mattered at that moment was Soarin.

She slowly raised her right hoof, and gently rubbed his cheek, savoring every moment. Soarin bent his partner's head back, and broke his lips off of her.

He leaned in to the crook of her neck, and breathed hot air up it. Soon, he was planting small kisses up to her chin, as Dash moaned from above him.

He reached her lips again, and placed his own on them once again. He pulled her in tighter, embracing her, as the two pegasi released their feelings for each other.

Many things were floating inside the cyan mare's mind right now. She was overjoyed, but at the same time, she had a nagging thought in the back of her mind.

She suddenly broke away from him without warning, looking up into his eyes. Soarin gave her a small smile, before changing it into one of dread, and worry.

Dash was in tears. She was frowning heavily, as she realized what had just happened.

"No..." she whispered softly, backing away from him. Soarin gave her a confused look.

"What happened?" he asked her. Dash looked away, and roughly shook her head.

"No... I can't..." she said, before flaring her wings out, and flying off, becoming a mere speck in the crystal blue sky.

Chapter 6: Hardships and Revelations

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 6: Hardships and Revelations

Rainbow Blaze and Hoops were out for a light morning flight together, after Dash had gotten up, and flew out of the house without warning. She was doing that a lot now, and frankly, Blaze and Firefly had no clue why.

Hoops was doing a few simple flips in the air, thinking about his marriage.

"Sir..." he started, looking over to Blaze. Blaze chuckled, and put a hoof on his shoulder.

"Please, Hoops. Call me Blaze," he said. Hoops gave a small smile, and nodded.

"Blaze... do you know why Rainbow Dash is being so secretive?" he asked him. Blaze gave him a tender smile, before frowning, and shrugging his shoulders.

"It's good to see a pony who cares so much about my daughter, but no. I don't really know. I just feel like she's been so secluded from the family for some time now. Hopefully, after the wedding, she'll be better. I know her. She doesn't stay like this for long," he said. Hoops looked away, lowering his head slightly.

Maybe he could try harder with Rainbow Dash? He himself saw how miserable she was. Usually, she was immediately start insulting him in the morning, but she simply gave him a nod earlier today, before walking away.

Blaze looked over to his future son in-law, and frowned.

"Everything okay, Hoops?" he asked. Hoops' eyes widened, as he nodded quickly.

"Oh! Yeah, sure," he said, before quickly flying forward, and away from the periwinkle stallion.

Blaze raised his eyebrows, before his ears pricked up in surprise. From nearby, he heard some voices. Loud ones, as well.

He looked back at Hoops, and quickly excused himself to go check it out. Hoops shrugged, and went onto a nearby cloud to think to himself.

Rainbow Blaze ducked behind a cloud, to look at one just a little ahead of him. It seemed to have two ponies in it.

One of which, he knew very well.

Rainbow Dash was laying on the cloud, with a baby-blue stallion pinning her down. He had a navy blue swept back mane, and Blaze instantly recognized him from the immense amount of posters inside his daughter's room.

He gasped, as he saw the scene in front of him, but decided to stay put a little longer.

"Because you're not making a barrel of sense! One second, we're enjoying breakfast together, and the next, you're screaming at me, and flying away. What is going on with you?" Soarin said, making his voice louder and louder by the second. Blaze stopped dead.

Enjoying breakfast? Had they been on a few outings before this?

"Maybe if you'd stop being so persistent, I could get out, and deal with my own problems!" Rainbow Dash yelled back. Blaze scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. What problems?

"Maybe if you told me about your so-called problems, I could help you!" Soarin said, before Dash snorted.

"Yeah right. And what help would you be? Oh Rainbow Dash, I guess I should feel sorry for you. Do you want a hug?" she mocked. Blaze managed to hold in a snicker. Oh Rainbow Dash... you'll never change...

"How... how dare you! I don't talk like that! And besides, what could be so bad, that you can't tell me?" Soarin said, softening his expression, and allowing the mare to get up and sit across from him on the cloud.

"It is bad. It's very bad. You wouldn't understand. You'd never understand. No one would underst-" she started, before starting to tear up. Blaze gasped silently to himself. What could be so bad that she was crying in front of a total stranger?

Blaze then saw Soarin's expression instantly changed into one of worry, as he looked upon her distressed face.

"Rainbow Dash...?" he asked softly, cupping his hooves around her, and pulling her in for a hug. Dash's throat hitched, as she began to cry freely into his soft fur. She clamped her hooves tightly around him, and just let everything out. "What happened?"

Blaze set his eyes upon the scene in front of him, looking at his helpless daughter completely letting herself out to this stallion who was just stroking her mane softly.

His eyes turned into one of sadness. He knew exactly why his daughter was acting like this... he just didn't want to admit it to himself that... she didn't love Hoops. She loved this stallion.

"I... I... I don't know..." she said. Soarin tutted lightly.

"Dash... what's going on?" he asked her yet again. Rainbow Dash let go of him, and roughly shook her head.

"I can't tell you, Soarin," she said simply. Soarin breathed heavily, and nodded.

"Okay, fine. I understand. You don't have to tell me. But can I at least do this?" he asked.

Blaze knew what he was about to do. For he himself had done the exact same thing to a mare named Firefly almost twenty-eight years ago. He quickly shut his eyes, and looked away from the duo.

"Do wha-" he heard from his daughter's mouth, before her voice hitched up, and light humming was played.

Blaze turned his body, his eyes still closed, and faced away from Dash and Soarin. Slowly, and steadily, he opened his eyes, and didn't glance back. What was the point?

He flapped his wings, and flew away from the couple, who were busy with themselves still on the cloud.

Blaze now knew where his daughter was going all these times, when she just exited the house without warning.

She loved Soarin... and he loved her back... but Blaze knew they could never be in a relationship. Only because of his stupidity from all those years ago.

For the arranged marriage with Hoops wasn't only because of his friendship with Basketball Dream. It was for something entirely different.

Financially, Blaze wasn't the most well off.

When he married Firefly, he was looked down upon quite often by his family, because Firefly came from a very poor family. Blaze did as well. Blaze's parents always wanted him to marry for money, not love.

Thankfully, Blaze was able to snag a scholarship to a nearby college which was quite well off. He got in due to his athletic abilities. He and Firefly met at the college.

While he was there, he and his dorm-mate became very good friends. This stallion's name was Basketball Dream. They were in most of the same classes, and both majored in athletics.

They became very good friends, even to a point when they shared every single aspect of their lives to one-another.

Blaze learnt about how rich Basket's family was. They were very well off. Blaze definitely kept this in mind as the years passed.

Life was ran, until Blaze got married to Firefly, and Basketball got married to his own partner, Champion Star. When both mares were expecting, Blaze and Basketball got together to celebrate.

While they were partying, Blaze remembered something.

He couldn't provide his daughter with necessary things in life to live to the fullest. He could only pray that she would find a stallion that was very well off financially, but that might not happen...

Blaze then remembered that the stallion before him was making millions by the minute. He couldn't do anything else, but to talk to him about setting up a marriage between the foals.

Now, when Rainbow Dash got married to Basket's foal, she would be able to enjoy life. With the money that Hoops had, they would both be able to raise a family without having to beg for money like Blaze and Firefly had to...

He had thought he had done this for Dash's benefit... but now he saw just how much of a mistake that was...

Rainbow Dash was miserable.

Chapter 7: Lies and Tellings

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 7: Lies and Tellings

Rainbow Dash put her hooves down on the soft cloud beneath her. She had flown quite a long way from where she was originally with Soarin, and hoped that he would not find her.

She sat down, and faced outwardly, and into the gloomy horizon. Perhaps Celestia knew about her misfortune... maybe that was why the weather matched perfectly with her mood.

Dash let a single tear roll down her clammy cheek. She didn't want this to happen, of course. She wanted to go back to Soarin, jump into his hooves, and cradle him... she didn't want to be stuck in this horrible reality that she now called home.

Then a thought struck her; Soarin did not know about her arranged marriage. Maybe if he did, he would just leave her alone. He needed to see why she was acting the way she was. After he knew, he would surely leave her be, right?

Dash sighed in annoyance. Why was life being so confusing? Why couldn't she just live her life happily, without any complications, or rude interruptions? Why was life being so unfair as of late? Rainbow Dash didn't like it. She didn't like it one bit at all.

She then firmly shook her head to no-one in particular. Probably to herself. She vowed that the next time she saw Soarin, she would tell him everything. Well, maybe not everything, but most of it. At least the parts that she felt he had a right to know about. Those weren't very many, but she knew it had to be done sooner or later.

She wanted it to be later so badly...

Suddenly, the clouds shifted, and she was pulled down a little further. Dash instantly knew that Soarin had followed her again, and was currently looking at her in worry from behind her tail.

"Rainbow Dash?" he said softly, making her turn her head.

"What is it?" she said in an annoyed tone. Soarin gulped, and sat down besides her, looking at her, as she looked away. "Why are you here? Can't you see I want to be alone right now?"

"Yes, I can, but I also see what a horrible state you're in. You need help. And I'm here to give it to you," he said, suddenly changing his tone to a much more confident one. "What happened back there, well, could you forget about it for just a moment? I really need to talk to you."

"Alright, fine. What is it?" she asked yet again. Soarin gave her a hopeful glance.

"Rainbow Dash, could you please tell me what's going on?" he asked her. Dash bit her lip, and nodded.

"Yeah..."

"Now, I know what you're going to say, and I just... wait... what?"

"I said yeah. Soarin, I really need to tell you what's been happening. I need someone to talk to," she said softly. Soarin looked at her thoroughly, before nodding.

"Go ahead..."

Dash pushed herself off the cloud, and stood up tall, beckoning for him to do the same. He did, until both were standing side by side. Dash looked up at Soarin, and sighed, beginning to tell her worries.

"I... I can't be with you..." she started in a frail voice. Soarin took a step back in shock.

"What? Why?"

"Because... because..." Dash said, trying her hardest to spill. Soarin took a few deep breaths.

"Because what, Dash?" he asked patiently.

"Because..." she said softly, "I'm in an arranged marriage."

Soarin's eyes suddenly widened, as he released a small gasp.

"Wha... What?" he stammered. Dash closed her eyes, and turned around.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered, before walking away from him, still on the cloud. Suddenly, she felt someone tug on her left hoof. She quickly turned around, tears prickling, and falling down her cheek gently. She looked into Soarin's eyes with a depressed look. Soarin was looking at her with a determined face.

Slowly, he inched his way towards her, and rested his chin on her shoulder, and wrapped his hooves around her waist tightly. Dash inhaled quickly, as she clasped her own hooves around the stallion, crying freely into his shoulder.

Soarin backed away from Dash, as she wiped stray tears away from her eyes. He looked her over, before grasping her back, and dipping her low. Once they were in a comfortable position, Soarin instantly went in for her neck. He put his face into the crook, and kissed it lightly.

"So... Soarin!" Dash gasped, as he planted light kisses up her neck, heading for her ear. Once he reached it, he bit down softly, releasing a content moan from the mare beneath him. He ran a hoof through her mane, as she tightened her grip on him from below.

He hoisted her up, and walked back until he was behind her, and wrapped his hooves around her middle. She tilted her head to the right, where is face was, and closed her eyes.

They stayed like this for a while, until Soarin spun her right into his arms, meeting her in the middle, with a soft, passionate kiss on their lips.

Dash tried to break free from his strong hold, but found it impossible. She could only hope that everything would be okay back home... and wherever she was currently.

Rainbow Dash didn't exactly kiss back, but she did linger for a few minutes. She couldn't betray her family like this... someone needed to know. Dash had to vent to someone about everything going on in her life.

Soarin broke away from Dash suddenly, and bumped her forehead with his. The two closed their eyes, as they mentally wept.

"I... I love you, Rainbow Dash..." Soarin said quietly.

"How I wish I could love you back freely..."

Rainbow Dash entered her house quietly. It was the dead of night, and her parents were probably already sleeping. Hoops and his family had gone a little while ago, Dash could tell.

She slowly creaked through the cloud mansion, heading upstairs to her room.

The light was open. Rainbow Dash scrunched her eyebrows in confusion, and entered cautiously, gasping at the sight.

Her mother was sitting on her bed like a statue, staring into her eyes like a ghost.

"Where have you been?"

Rainbow Dash took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself from the initial shock.

"I... was out," she said simply. Firefly raised her eyebrows.

"With who?" she asked.

Of course, Blaze had already told Firefly about what had happened. Or at least, what he saw. Firefly, already suspecting that he daughter was having an intimate relationship with an outsider, didn't take it to be much of a surprise.

"I... I was with... my friends?" Dash said nervously, turning her statement into a question. Firefly sighed, and patted the spot next to her on the bed. Dash looked at it, before realizing what she was supposed to do. Slowly, she lowered herself besides her mother, not daring to look at her.

"Don't lie to me, honey. I know everything," Firefly said in a tender voice. Dash's eyes widened, as she looked up into her mother's kind eyes. Firefly was staring back at her with a small smile, shaking her head. "Your father was there... he saw everything."

"What? Dad was there? He saw me and..." Dash said in shock, trailing off at the end. Firefly only hummed as her answer. Signaling Dash's suspicions to be correct.

"Soarin?" Firefly asked, lifting her chin up. Dash looked away, and nodded.

"Yeah..."

"Oh, honey..." Firefly said, before pulling her daughter in for a hug. Dash embraced her mom, and let a few tears escape, before breaking down into a fit of tears.

"It's just not fair... it's just not fair!" Dash cried loudly. Firefly tutted.

"I know, honey. Life is never fair..." she said softly.

"I love him, Mom..." Dash suddenly said. "Mom... I LOVE HIM!"

Rainbow Dash was shouting. She was screaming at the top of her lungs.

"MOM PLEASE! YOU CAN'T LET ME DO THIS! I LOVE HIM! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! PLEASE... PLEASE... PLEASE!" she kept yelling. "I'LL DO ANYTHING, MOM! PLEASE! I HAVE TO BE WITH HIM! I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT HIM!"

The door slammed open, and Blaze rushed in, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight before him. His daughter was on her knees, with her hooves up in a begging position. His wife was looking down at her, tears falling steadily down her eyes.

His heart broke at the sight.

"MOM... MOM... MOM PLEASE! I CAN'T MARRY HOOPS... I JUST CAN'T! I LOVE SOARIN TOO MUCH! MOM I LOVE HIM! I LOVE HIM SO MUCH! PLEASE! PLEASE! PLEASE! MOM, I LOVE HIM!"

"RAINBOW DASH!" Blaze suddenly yelled. Dash looked up with her tear-soaked face. Blaze pointed to the door with his left hoof. "Go to a different room. NOW."

Dash slowly got up, her head down, and trudged out of the room, still softly crying to herself. Blaze watched her go with a stern expression, until she was gone. He then instantly walked up to his wife, who was in tears herself.

"I... how can we do this to her?" Firefly whispered, as louder howling was heard from above them. Dash was still at it... crying her eyes out. Blaze sniffed a little, before looking away and shaking his head.

"You know there's only one way to break this marriage..." he said. Firefly bit her lip. "And you also know that a boy like Hoops would never do something like that..."

"Yes, I know, Blaze... I just can't stand to see my daughter like this. It... it's just heartbreaking. You're her father... can't you do something about it?" Firefly asked.

"I only wish I could... it was me who made this whole mess in the first place, wasn't it? I just want everything to go back to normal..." Blaze replied. Firefly took her husband's hooves into her own, and locked eyes with him.

"Blazey, it wasn't your fault. You couldn't do anything about it... you just wanted what you thought would be best for your daughter..." she said softly. Blaze sighed.

"But look at her, Fire... she's suffering... and we can't do anything about it... I can't do anything about it..." he said softly, kissing Firefly on her cheek.

"Why don't you go to bed, for now. There's still a week before the final meet-up before the wedding. And you never know, maybe Hoops will give her away..." Firefly said. Blaze shrugged.

"One can only hope..."

Up in the cloud attic, Rainbow Dash was a mess. Her hair was tangled, her hooves were scratched, her face was soaked, and her mind was a big blob of nothing.

She was crying hard into the tiny pillow she had. She couldn't really do anything else .

Suddenly, a light tap was heard from the window. Dash lifted her head up, to see Soarin standing behind the light glass. He was wearing a very worried expression, and Dash had no doubt that he would break the window to try and get to her if he had to. That wouldn't end well with her parents.

She slowly got up, and made her way to the window, opening it wide, and letting the baby-blue stallion before her jump into her arms freely. He felt her over and over, picked her up slightly because of his strength, kissed her all over her face, and then embraced her once again.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash... I was worried sick... I heard your crying from across the street, when I just happened to be flying by... Dash, look at you! You're a mess! Sit down. Right now." he said over and over in one breath, until the two were laying side by side on the cold bed in the cool attic room.

Dash snuggled into his chest, and wrapped her hooves around his body. He did the same, and rested his chin on her head.

"I love you, Soarin..." she said softly, before finally falling asleep in the stallion's arms.

"I love you too... and don't worry, Rainbow. Everything will be fine. I'll find a way to fix everything," he said quietly, even though he knew she couldn't hear him.

Chapter 8: Family and Feuds

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 8: Family and Feuds

The date was set. Everything was ready for Dash and Hoops' wedding. The two were to be wed on a glorious evening outside the Canterlot Castle, on a remote beach, at the outskirts of Equestrian Boundries.

Rainbow Dash though, really wasn't in the best mood for this. Why did she have to get married to such a jerk? He had been nothing but selfish, and rotten to her in all their years of knowing one another.

Of course, she knew she couldn't do anything about it, her endless pleading hadn't mended a dent in the original plan. She and Hoops were going to get married... whether she liked it or not.

There was a soft patter on the door to her room, as Dash turned around, and opened it wide.

Hoops was standing there with a small frown on his face.

"Hoops? What are you doing here?" Dash asked him with a confused look. Hoops glanced up at the cyan mare, and shrugged.

"I wanted to talk to you, Rainbow Cr- I mean... Dash..." he said slowly, stammering to fix his mistake. Dash raised an eyebrow, before gesturing him to follow her inside. "Thanks."

"Yeah, yeah. What do you want?" she asked, sitting on her bed, and patting the spot next to her with a slight glare at the ceiling. Hoops quickly accepted her offer to sit down, and quickly looked at her.

"I'd like to say I'm sorry," he started off strongly.

"What the he-"

"I've seen how you've been acting over the past few days, and I'd like to make it up to you."

"And how the hell are you go-"

"By being nice to you from now on!"

"Yeah ri-"

"Maybe even go on a few dates,"

"Hell n-"

"Maybe get a little spicy..."

"What are you imply-"

"Look, what I'm trying to say is, I don't want an unhappy marriage."

"What?"

"You seem so down in the dumps lately... and I honestly don't want a wife who mopes around all the time. It wouldn't be the most pleasing experience."

"Oh? So you're doing all of this for yourself?"

"What?"

"God dammit Hoops. You're so freaking selfish," Dash said, getting up, and leading him to the door to her room once again. Hoops frowned.

"What? Where did any of that come from?" he asked her. Dash rolled her eyes.

"Ponies like you will never learn. How much ever you try with them."

Rainbow Dash thought back to the night when she and Soarin slept in her attic.

The next morning, she had invited him to the wedding with a painful smile. At least she could look forward to one thing at the ceremony; seeing him.

Her parents, of course hadn't been all for the idea. It would make her heartbroken while she exchanged vows, wouldn't it? That's what they thought, at least.

"Are you ready, honey?" a voice called from outside her door. Dash got up from her seat, and went to open it, coming face to face with her mother.

"Hey, Mom. What's up?" she asked casually. Firefly scanned her daughter with wide eyes, gasping.

"You haven't even started to get ready yet! And the ceremony's in just a few hours!" she exclaimed. Dash shrugged.

"What do I have to do that'll take time? I just need to slip on that dress Rarity made for me..." she said. Firefly shook her head, sighing, and rolling her eyes.

"Thank goodness I came in when I did! Imagine if I had come right before your father was to escort you down the aisle? That would have been an absolute nightmare!" she said dramatically. Dash bit her lip, and shrugged.

"Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing..." she mumbled under her breath. Firefly's ears perked up.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

Firefly raised her eyebrows at her daughter, before trotting to the closet by her. "Where did you keep the dress?"

"It should be somewhere in there..." Dash said, before she saw her mother emerge with a simple while dress with gold and rainbow trimming at the edges. Rarity knew exactly what Dash liked. Something simple, and not too over-the-top, "drop dead fabulous."

Firefly gave Dash the dress, who simply groaned, and heading inside the bathroom to put it on.

She walked out a few seconds later, the dress handing from her body. It had a snug fit, curving around her masculine figure in a smooth, sleek fashion. The trimming added highlights to her own mane, and the shine off the skirt glistened as she walked towards her mother. Firefly couldn't believe her eyes when she saw her coming her way.

She gasped, putting a hoof over her daughter's clothing, running it down smoothly. Her eyes widened, as she looked at the younger mare in wonder.

"My my... you look possibly even better than how I looked on my own wedding day! And that's saying something, considering how awesome I looked!" she exclaimed, as Dash rolled her eyes. Firefly then started to tear up, placing a hoof on her daughter's cheeks. "Oh, Dash... I'm so proud of you! After all these years of waiting, the big day has finally arrived! How do you feel? Nervous, excited? Maybe a mixture of both? You must be so looking forward to when you're finally wed with the stallion of your dreams!"

"Yeah... sure... the stallion of my dreams..." Dash mumbled. Firefly heard her, but decided to ignore it. There was nothing she could really do about her situation with Soarin.

There was only one possible way that the arranged marriage could be broken. If Hoops gave up his bride.

But there was absolutely no chance at that happening. Firefly knew it. She had seen how Hoops had interacted with everypony he had encountered in front of her. He wanted to be the winner here. Dash was like his prize... he didn't want to give her up. Not even at the cost of her own happiness. Firefly knew this.

She sighed, as she gestured Dash over to the nearby table, which had many cartons of makeup from her own house. Dash scoffed, as she looked upon the different colored blushes, and shadows. Even a few lipsticks.

"Disgusting. You don't expect me to actually wear this stuff, do you?" she asked her mother with a frown. Firefly heaved out a long, heavy sigh.

There were only a few hours left till the wedding. A few long... painful hours...

Chapter 9: Tears and Joy

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 9: Tears and Joy

Welcome to the finale chapter of, Won't Let it Bring Me Down. I hope you enjoy the very last chapter in this series. There might be a sequel, but I still haven't decided that yet, as I'm working on a few new stories.

Rainbow Blaze walked up to his daughter, who was standing behind a large wooden door. Behind it, was the main hall, where the wedding was to be held.

Blaze smiled, and swung his hoof around the cyan mare's arm, and nodded, signaling for the music to start, and the doors to open.

Right before she was to begin walking, Rainbow Dash gave a single, sad glance over to her left side. Where Soarin was standing. He looked back at her with pleading eyes, silently begging her to stop. She sniffled slightly, before letting a single tear drop down her cheek. He closed his eyes, and hung his head low, not wanting to look any more at the scene in front of him.

Rainbow Dash was devastated. The time had finally arrived. She was to be wed with Hoops in just a few minutes. Blaze, who saw her and Soarin's gesture towards one another, just turned his daughter's head with his hoof.

"I'm sorry, Rainbow Dash. I did this for you," he said simply, as the large doors swung open, and the bridal march was played by Fluttershy's bird choir.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, not bothering to wipe away the tears that had now begun to stream from her eyes. She just started walking slowly, her head down, her eyes up, and her body slumped back in distress.

"Rainbow Dash! Walk properly! The guests are looking at you!" Blaze whisper-shouted to her. Dash shot her father a glare, before straightening up, still not wiping her tears away. They were halfway to the altar.

"Dad, do I really have to do this?" she whispered to the periwinkle stallion on her right. Blaze nodded, tightening his grip on her hoof. Dash sighed, more tears beginning to slump up around the edges of her eyes. She didn't want to do this. Nopony would want this.

Dash scanned the guests. Everypony she knew had attended. Even some ponies from Ponyville that she barely knew, and almost never talked to!

Why did they have to come to see her fail? To see her become permanently saddened.

She couldn't even divorce him right after the ceremony, for it was part of their stupid contract. It stated that the marriage couldn't be broken until ten years had been completed of them living together.

That could mean even if Dash had to leave to a different part of Equestria for a few years, and couldn't live with Hoops, those years wouldn't count in the final contract count thing that Blaze had foolishly set up for his daughter.

She wished she could just run out of the building, and into Soarin's hooves.

Rainbow Dash suddenly stopped walking. Her hooves firmly planted above the carpeted ground, and her tears started strolling down her cheek freely.

Blaze scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, as he looked back at his daughter. He looked at her eyes, which were graciously filling up with tears as seconds passed. He took a deep breath, and tried prying her from her spot.

"Come on, Rainbow Dash! You need to get to the altar! You need to marry Hoops! Right now!" he said, trying his hardest not to raise his voice any further than it already was being. Dash didn't even look at him. She just tilted her head, and looked at Soarin, who was standing at the beginning of the walkway. She folded her lips, and just kept staring at him, not wanting to believe what was happening.

Dash sniffed a little, as Soarin gave her a worried look, starting to wonder why she had stopped in the middle of the aisle. Blaze though, couldn't do anything. He just stood there, trying to get Dash to keep moving.

On the altar, Twilight observed the ceremony. She had been chosen to preside by Dash herself, and being a princess helped with the matter. She of course, knew why Dash had been acting this way. The cyan mare had sent her plenty of letters, along with her other friends. Twilight didn't want any of this to happen. She wanted her best friend to be happy. Not face such a shock, and sadness that nopony could cure.

She took a deep breath, deciding that she had no other option but to urge her friend to come to her. She turned to the pony standing on her left with a frown.

"You need to bring her up here. We don't have much time to waste. If you want to get married to her, you need to bring her here," she said simply. Hoops' eyes widened.

"What? What do you mean? How am I supposed to bring her here?" he asked stubbornly. Twilight bit her lip, and looked away. She knew what she was doing might bring upon a permanent damage in her and Dash's friendship. But she also knew her parent's side of the story. With a simple spell, she was able to pry information out of Blaze on why he was acting like he was with the whole situation.

"You need to go to her, take her hoof, and pull her here. You know she is going to resist. Her love for that stallion is-" Twilight said, before quickly stopping herself. She wasn't supposed to tell Hoops that!

"What?" Hoops asked her with a confused look. Twilight debated in her mind whether to reveal the truth about her friend to him or not, and decided to. After all, she was about to get married to him. There really wasn't much anyone could do at this moment.

"She is head over hooves in love with Soarin Skies. And to make sure she is safe, she needs to marry you. Now go to her, and bring her here. This marriage has to happen," she said firmly, thinking about what Blaze had told her. Hoops gulped, not wanting to argue with the princess about such matters. Especially if she was the one uniting him and Dash.

Hoops turned to look at the cyan mare, and raised his eyebrow once he saw where she was looking. She was staring right into the eyes of Soarin, and like Twilight said, she loved him.

Hoops sighed, as he saw her silently cry. Then, something clicked in his mind. This was why she was always moping so much. She didn't want to marry him! She wanted to marry Soarin!

The love Hoops had always seen in her eyes... it wasn't for him, it was for Soarin.

At that moment, Hoops knew exactly what he needed to do.

Dash slowly turned her head back to face the altar, when the sound of hooves banging the ground were heard. She instantly saw Hoops with a determined face, trotting up to her with his suit and tie falling apart.

Dash internally gasped, tears suddenly stopped where they were. She knew he was coming to get her, so she braced herself. She wouldn't walk to him, he would come to her.

Hoops reached Dash, and clamped his hoof in her's with a small glare, as he stared into her eyes.

From behind, Soarin closed his eyes. He was going to take her to the altar. He knew it.

But Hoops, instead of turning around, and walking to the altar, pulling the mare behind him, walked straight ahead. Nearing the start of the walkway again.

Blaze scrunched his eyebrows in confusion, wondering what the orange stallion was doing. Nopony moved. Hoops just dragged a sniffling Rainbow Dash to the end of the aisle.

He suddenly stopped right before where Dash and Blaze had started. He spun her around, and pushed her slightly away from him. Dash's eyes widened, as her back faced Soarin, and Hoops stood tall in front of her.

"Hoops?" she managed to squeak out. Hoops just closed his eyes, and opened them with a small smile.

"You're crazy, you know that?" he suddenly said. Dash tilted her head.

"What?"

"You were going to give up everything for me and your father? Really?" Hoops continued.

"What are you talking about?" Dash asked him. Hoops shook his head, before turning back to her.

"All these months, I've been seeing love in your eyes. I always thought it was for me... I thought all this teasing and joking around was just an act you put up..." he said, trailing off at the end. "I'm... head over hooves in love with you, Rainbow Dash."

Dash's eyes widened in shock.

"What?" she asked again in disbelief. Hoops sadly nodded.

"It's true... I've always had a small crush on you ever since we met. All the teasing... the bullying... it was all an act... I just wanted to get close to you, and I thought bullying was the only way I could.," he said. "It was then when my parents told me about the whole arranged marriage business. At first, I was pretty shocked. But then... everything changed. I saw you again and again after that, we were twelve at that time. I knew about the marriage, and you didn't, since your parents wanted to wait a few more years before spilling the news. I was... actually pretty happy that of all the ponies, it was you whom my father decided to set me up with," he explained.

"But when I found out about it... I was devastated, because I thought you hated me!" Dash exclaimed. Hoops nodded.

"I know... I could tell. And for these past few weeks, I've been noticing such intense love in your eyes, I could only hope that it was for me... but now I realize that it was never mine," he said softly. Dash's throat hitched up, as she knew what he was going to say. He was going to tell everyone who she was really in love with.

"Yeah..." she said in a voice just above a whisper.

"That love... was for you first love. Do you know what first love even is? They say if it's true... it'll last forever. If it isn't... it will never. My love for you was false... we were never meant to be. But your love for... Soarin..." Hoops said, earning a few shocked gasps from the audience. "Your love for him is unbreakable. And he even loves you back...! I can see it."

"Hoops... please, I have to marry you! It's an arranged marriage!" Dash said. Hoops chuckled lightly, and shook his head with a teasing smile.

"Not if I do this..."

He grabbed her hoof again, and turned, walking straight for a certain baby-blue stallion.

Soarin's eyes widened, as Dash was thrown into his arms. He instantly held her steady as they both turned to Hoops in shock. He was just looking at Rainbow Dash.

"Go... live your dream. With him... and if you ever need anything, I'll be waiting," he said, before turning, and walking away.

"Rainbow Dash..." Soarin said softly, as he heard a few sniffles from the mare in his hooves. He instantly clamped his arms around her in a tight embrace, as they both started crying.

Soon though, their cries turned to soft giggles.

Because overall, they were happy. They were going to be together, finally!

The soon-to-be wed couple grinned to one another, and turned around, waiting to give a whole lot of explanation to everypony else.

They were happy; they were together at last.

Chapter 4: Moments and Meetings

Won't Let it Bring Me Down

By: Crystal Heart

Chapter 4: Moments and Meetings

Rainbow Dash flew home at an incredible speed, desperate to get away from Soarin. All in all, she just didn't want to see anypony at the moment. She just wanted to be drowned in her own thoughts.

Dash arrived home a couple hours after she left it, and entered the living room, shutting the door tightly behind her.

"Where have you been?" Firefly asked her, as she flew up to her. Dash took a few deep breaths, and roughly shook her head.

"Didn't Dad tell you? I was out flying!" she said. Firefly tasked her eyebrows.

"For three hours?"

"Yeah! Is that a problem? I'm an independent mare now, Mom. I can take care of myself, you know!"

"I'm well aware. Now come on, I'll get a breakfast cooking for you," Firefly said, rolling her eyes slightly, and gestured the cyan mare to follow her inside the kitchen

"Uh... no thanks, Mom. I already ate," Dash said with a nervous expression. Firefly whipped around to look at her, and gave her a confused look.

"What do you mean? I thought you were out flying!" she exclaimed. Dash nodded.

"Yeah, I was. But I met up with a friend, and we had breakfast together," she said. Firefly tilted her head to the side.

"Which friend was this?" she asked. Dash gulped. Oh no.

If her parents found out that she had been hanging out with a stallion, they would surely be very angry. Dash knew that she couldn't become close with a guy, because she couldn't risk falling in love.

Although that probably already had happened.

"Ehh... it was an old friend. You don't know them," she finally settled on saying. Firefly gave her one last glance, before shrugging, and trotting away.

Dash released a long breath she hadn't realized she was holding in. She plopped down into the couch, and sighed.

"Sweet Celestia, what have I gotten myself into?"

"Rainbow Dash! Hoops and his family are here!" Blaze called to his daughter, who was busy sulking in her room.

"I'll be down in a minute, Dad!" she yelled back.

Hoops, his little sister,and his parents were paying a visit to the Dash family today. Just to decide on the final wedding date, and stuff like that. Dash of course, wasn't the least bit happy about it.

She knew this day was going to be coming sooner or later, but she didn't expect it to happen so fast... anyone could tell she wasn't ready. She wasn't ready at all.

All she wanted was to go out for a fly. Maybe meet up with Soarin, and have another almost-date! She really liked hanging out with him... he brought a sense of comfort whenever he was in her presence.

Dash trudged down the cloud steps, coming face to face with Hoops.

"Hey, Hoops..." she managed to say. Hoops only snorted.

"Nice seeing you too, Rainbow Crash."

"Whatever..."

The two made their way over to the living room, where Blaze, Firefly were already waiting. Along with Basketball Dream, Champion Star, and fifteen year-old Red Checker.

Blaze and Basket were chattering to themselves, while Firefly and Champion were quietly speaking about something that would remain a mystery. Blaze smiled wide, as he saw his daughter and he companion enter the room. Probably because they were both so close together.

"There are the lovebirds!" he exclaimed, gesturing over to the small couch besides him. It was the old loveseat that Dash's parents had given her. She never used it, so it was quite a surprise to see it out.

"Dad... please. We're not lovebirds," Dash said with a tone of pure annoyance. Blaze's smile faltered slightly, but remained intact.

"Anyway, take a seat! Snuggle up together! You know, what fiancé's do..." he said. Dash rolled her eyes, and sat on the far right of the sofa. Hoops doing the same on the left. Blaze frowned, and shook his head. Dismissing it to get to more important matters.

"Firefly, would you like to explain?" he asked. The pink mare only nodded before clearing her throat.

"We believe today is the day when we finally decide on the wedding date. Do you two feel comfortable about that?" she asked. Both Dash and Hoops shook their head instantly. Firefly sighed, and looked over to Hoops' parents.

"Would you like to give it a go?" she asked. Champion nodded, turning up to face her son and future daughter in-law.

"You two really must stop acting this way! You are about to get married to one-another!" she said. Hoops put in a huge fake smile.

"Oh don't worry, Momma. I'm trying. It's Rainbow Cra- I mean, Dash that isn't!" he said, shooting her a sly glare. Champion groaned, before looking over to her husband. Basket nodded.

"Look, you two like each other! You have for a long time! Why is there a sudden change in your attitudes?" he asked. Dash grumbled, and covered her face in her hooves.

"Oh, I don't know... maybe because I'm being forced into a marriage... or something like that," she said. Blaze gasped.

"Rainbow Dash! Don't talk to your father in-law like that! It isn't polite!" he exclaimed. Dash rolled her eyes, and purposely forgot the apology. It wouldn't have been a very pleasing one, anyway.

"Whatever..."

Firefly inspected her daughter thoroughly. Dash never acted this way during one of these meetings! She always tried to be nice... but this, this was very different. Firefly knew that something was up. Dash was her daughter... mother's know everything about their daughters.

She decided to let it go, and observe her more throughout the course of the evening. Maybe then, she would be able to draw up a conclusion about her spicy attitude. With tortilla chips on the side...

"We were thinking, that the wedding should be held sometime in March," Blaze finally said. Dash snapped her head up with wide eyes.

"But... that's only a little more than a month away!" she exclaimed. "That's way too soon!"

"No... if we hold it off any longer, you two might never get to marry!"

"Wouldn't be such a bad idea..." Dash grumbled under her breath. No one heard it but Firefly and Hoops, who were both on either side of her respectively. Firefly gaped. Dash would never act like this without a good reason... she knew her daughter was at least a little better than how she was currently displaying herself.

"I completely agree..." Hoops whispered back. Dash bit her lip, and looked away from him. Straight into the eyes of her mother.

Firefly quickly begun her search. Staring deep into Dash's magenta pools. She picked up many emotions hidden within the walls of her pearly eyes. Fear, scaredness, plus more. But there was one very prominent one being shown. She just had to dig a little deeper.

Of course... how couldn't she have seen it before?

Her daughter was in love...

"Oh... this looks delicious, Ms. Firefly!" Hoops exclaimed, as he stared at the arrangement of differing meals laid out in front of him. Firefly smiled, and nodded.

"Why, thank you, Hoops. I'm glad to see that you enjoy it!" she said politely. Hoops nodded, before taking another sip of his carrot soup. Dash, who was sitting besides him, was just playing around. Her spoon swirled through the thick, creamy orange liquid, not coming up once to touch her lips.

"Is something wrong with your soup, Rainbow?" Champion asked. Dash quickly shook her head, starting to get up.

"May I be excused?" she asked. Blaze raised an eyebrow at her in confusion.

"What? But you haven't even eaten anything yet!" he said. Dash nodded.

"Guess I'm just not hungry..." she said, before trotting out of the dining room. Firefly stared after her with a small glare. She would have to get to the bottom of this. Now.

"Rainbow Dash? May I come in?" Firefly asked, as she knocked on her daughter's door to her room. She heard a few quiet sniffles coming from inside, before the door creaked open just a crack.

"W-W-What i-is it, M-M-Mom?" she asked, her voice shaking heavily. Firefly looked upon her daughter's face in concern, before pulling her into a tight hug.

"What's wrong, Rainbow?" she asked. Dash shook out of her mother's embrace.

"Nothing is wrong, Mom! Why would you think that?" she asked.

"Because you've been acting awfully strange nowadays..." Firefly replied, putting her hooves on Dash's shoulders.

"I'm fine..." she said. Firefly raised an eyebrow, and crossed her hooves.

"You sure about that, honey?" she asked. Dash sighed, and sat down on her bed.

"It's just that... why do I have to go through this whole arranged marriage thing? There must be a reason, right?" she asked. Firefly looked away, and closed her eyes.

"You're right. There is a reason," she said. Dash's ears perked up.

"There is? Great! Could you tell me?" she asked. Firefly sighed, and nodded.

"The thing is, when I was pregnant with you, your father was best friends with Basketball Dream. He still is, of course. When he heard that Basket's wife was expecting, he sent me to go and make small talk with her. Champ and I connected, and we started discussing out future children. I told her I was having a filly, and she told me she was having a colt. Of course, this got your father really excited, and he decided that the two foals would become good friends, and soon fall in love and get married. He was afraid he would lose his friendship with Basket, after he got married and such. He was just acting over pressure. He thought the only way the friendship would remain was if the two foals were to marry in the future. Therefore, if anything did happen, it couldn't have lasted long. But then, a thought came to your father's mind. What if you and Hoops didn't get along? Then all of his plans, hopes, and dreams would be ruined! And he didn't want that to happen, obviously. So he met up with Basket, and they both decided that there would be an arranged marriage between the two foals. Once you were born, your father and I tried to get you used to being around Hoops. Hoops seemed like a pretty good colt. Of course, that got our hopes up. Maybe the arranged marriage wouldn't have to happen? Maybe you two would end up falling for each other anyway? But then, one day after flight camp, you came home complaining about him... telling us he was the rudest, most awful colt ever. This broke your father and I's hearts... we were so looking forward to a nice, drama-lass marriage. Then, the arranged marriage was set. Then again, it isn't a fully arranged one... but that's besides the point. Anyway, Dash... your father thought we didn't have any other choice! I know you know how important friendship is to ponies! And your father was just acting under... I guess you could call it, 'friendship pressure'... we're really sorry... but just remember, please don't make us even more unhappy with what we did by... falling in love with another colt or something. It would really break our hearts. I'm already regretting doing what we did to you... but your father is stubborn, Rainbow Dash. I wish I could have knocked some sense into him... but I really couldn't. I was really for the idea back then... but that was almost twenty-three years ago! I'm so sorry, Rainbow Dash. I really, truly am..." Firefly said, looking back up into her daughter's eyes.

Dash's eyes were filled with tears. She couldn't stand to see her mother in this state... she knew she had to cut off every relationship aspect she had with Soarin. It was for her own good... she couldn't risk betraying her family like she already had.

"Mom... I had no idea... I'm so sorry..." she said, before hugging her mother once again.