Won't Let it Bring Me Down

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..."