A Future in Peril

The sun bathed the sky in a soft,golden light, as it gracefully rose over the horizon.  Its gentle rays shined through the window of a small house made of clouds.  Wonderbolts posters were hung haphazardly on the cyan walls.  Weights and Daring Doo books were scattered across the floor.  Two ponies were lying in a soft bed that sat against the far wall of the room. The sun's rays calmly crept over Rainbow Dash's face.  She opened her eyes lazily.  She jumped down to the soft floor, careful not to wake up Crimson Dusk.  She stretched her muscles, as she yawned quietly.  That was the best night ever, she thought to herself as she walked out of the room.

She clumsily bumped into a small table in the hall, knocking over a cheap looking vase.  "Dang," she said in a careless tone.  She had grown larger over the years, but still hadn't gotten used to it.  In fact, Dash and her friends grew a lot.  They were all the same size as Celestia, and it was unheard of for normal ponies to grow as large as alicorns.  Twilight researched what could have caused the mysterious growth spurt, and found that their connection to the elements of harmony was the cause.  She told them that the elements affected not only their spirits, but their bodies as well.

Dash remembered the reaction Dusk had when he saw how big she was.  It made it a lot easier to handle him, she thought, while laughing silently to herself.

She made her way to the kitchen.  It was smaller than Dash would have liked, but it did what it was supposed to do.  She turned on the coffee maker that waited for her on the counter.  It hummed to life, as it began to brew her favorite coffee.  She stared out the window, and admired the gorgeous view of the morning sky.  She heard Dusk coming down the stairs.  He yawned superfluously as he leisurely joined her in the kitchen.  She turned to her lover and kissed him good morning.  "Hey," she said sleepily, "Sleep well?"

Dusk yawned before he replied.  "I don't think I got the chance to.  You kept me up all night."  She playfully punched him in the side after he mentioned last night.  He chortled at the impact.  "Still the only way you can show affection?" he said jokingly.  "You did enough of that last night too."

She just stuck her tongue out at him.  He laughed at her childish reaction.  Dash resumed staring out the window, as Dusk sat on the chair in front her.  "It's hard to believe we've been together for four years," she said while deep in thought.  "It feels like it's just a dream."

Dusk nodded in agreement.  "If it is, I don't want to wake up," he said affectionately.  Dash shook her head and smiled at the comment.  She continued to stare oblviously out the window.  "Something on your mind?" Dusk asked.

She averted her gaze from the window to her crimson lover.  "It's just...I've been thinking about Pinkie Pie," Dash replied solemnly.  "I thought she would be back to normal by now."

Dusk laughed at her statement.  "Did you just call Pinkie Pie...normal?" he asked.  "That's not a word I'd use to describe her.  Abnormal is more like it"

Rainbow Dash chuckled quietly.  "I mean her working at the hospital," she replied.  "Lately, she's been working long hours, and hasn't been at parties or celebrating like she used to.  It's not like her."

Dusk got up and walked over to the cyan pegusus.  He leaned in close, and wrapped his foreleg gently around her neck.  "I think it's about what happened to Twilight," he stated.  "Remember how helpless she felt while holding Twilight? How she couldn't do anything to stop her from almost dying?  She must be working hard at being a nurse, so that never happens again.  I don't think she has forgiven herself yet, but she'll come around."  He gave her a reassuring peck on the cheek before gently whispering in her ear, "Plus, what better way to make ponies smile than saving their lives?  I can't think of anypony better suited for the job."

Dash smiled softly at Crimson Dusk.  "You always know what to say to make me feel better," she said admiringly.

"Yeah, I do," he said overconfidently.  He tried to take her mind off of Pinkie Pie by changing the subject.  "I still can't believe AJ and Rarity are going out.  How long has it been? Two months?"

"Barely," Rainbow Dash replied.  "I always thought they would end up together."

Dusk slowly stroked her beautiful mane.  "How so?" he asked trying to comfort her.

"Haven't you noticed how they looked at each other?" she asked.  "Those two had feelings for one another ever since they met.  I think they were just to afraid too admit it."

Dusk let out an amused grunt.  "I believe you.  I think the whole almost burning alive thing helped out too."

The coffee maker made an obnoxious ringing sound behind them.  Dash freed herself from Dusk's embrace, and poured herself a cup of coffee.  She drank the bitter liquid slowly; savoring the taste in her mouth.  She sat back down, and placed the coffee cup on the table.  Her eyes intently watched the dark liquid ripple inside the mug.  They sat in silence for a few minutes.  They could hear the morning birds singing a melodious tune somewhere outside.  Dusk waited patiently for Dash to talk to him.  "Fluttershy and Twilight seem to be doing alright," she finally said.

"Yeah," Dusk replied.  "They've just been doing what they love.  Twilight's been working on the library, and Fluttershy has been taking excellent care of the animals."  Dash was still absent mindedly watching her coffee dance in the white cup, oblivious to what he was saying.  Dusk could see that something was still on his lover's mind.  "Okay," he said calmly.  "What is really going on her?.  You're not acting like yourself."

Dash snapped out of her daze, and looked at Dusk.  Her eyes were glistening with withheld tears.  She stared at him for a few brief moments, before breaking down.  "It's us," she said with a shakey voice.  Dusk looked quizzically at Dash, but let her continue.  "I've never been in love with anypony like I am with you.  Everytime I wake up with you beside me, I get the feeling that I'm always safe.  When we fly together, I feel like I can take on the world."

Dusk gently wiped the tears from her eyes.  "What are you getting at?" he asked soothingly.

"I'm saying I love you, but I don't know where to go from here," she said sadly.

"Where is this coming from?" Dusk asked concerned.

Dash looked bashfully at the ground.  "When ever you're around, I have a hard time controlling my emotions.  It got worse the night after we beat Discord."

"You mean when I threw you on the bed, and we went at it like rabbits?" Dusk chimed in.  "You wanted me to."

"I did, and it was the best night of my life.  You were my first," Dash looked straight into Dusk's dark red eyes.  "I wanted you to be my only."

"And I will.  You were my first too, and I never want to change that," Dusk said trying to sooth his beloved.

Dash smiled.  "Then all those dates we went on.  Surfing the waves during that hurricane...those nights we cuddled by the fire...even the Wonderbolt Derby."

"You mean the one they let you race them in?" Dusk said.  "The one you beat all of them without breaking a sweat?"

Dash nodded.  "That was one of the best momenst of my life.  Did you know they offered me a spot on the team after that?"  Dusk shook his head.  "Well, I declined it.  Being a Wonderbolt has always been my biggest dream, but when they told me what I would have to do...I wasn't sure."

Now Dusk was the one confused.  "Why? It's your dream.  You should take it."

"Because it would mean I wouldn't get to see you.  I would be all over the world training and doing stunts, and I wouldn't have any time for you," she said starting to cry again.

"I would have went to all of them.  I'm a prince...I can basically do anyting," Dusk replied.

"It's just...your immortal, and I'm not.  I want to spend every second with you, because I don't know how much time I have to do it," Dash sobbed.

"Oh, now I see what's really wrong," Dusk said.

'I love you with all my heart," Dash said truthfully.  "Enough to give up my dream of being a Wonderbolt.   Enought to make you my new dream.  I don't know what to do from here.  I'm so confused.  I'm sorry.  I must look weak to you right now."

Dusk gave her a warm smile.  "You aren't weak.  I've got the bruises to prove it," he said trying to lighten the mood.  Dash silently cried from the other side of the table, not paying attention to his jest.  "You know what?  I've got something for you," Dusk said getting up from the table.  He trotted over to a small cabinet in the corner of the kitchen.  He opened it, and pulled out a black box with golden decorations running across it.

He carefully placed it in front of Dash.  She looked at the box confusedly,and then looked at Dusk with the same expression.  "What is it?" she said curiously.

"Open it and find out," was his response.  Dash opened the box.  Her face betrayed the bewilderment she felt inside.  She picked up a clear bladed saber with a golden hilt.  It felt lighter than air.  "If you think it looks awesome now, put it in the light," Dusk suggested.  Dash took it to the window, and placed it in the warm light of the sun.  A spectrum of colors danced around the white blade, creating a brilliant display of beauty.

Dash felt the sadness and confusion fade away in her mind.  "This is for me?" she asked still awestruck at the gift.

"I thought that since you've been doing great at the sword lessons I've been giving you," Dusk said proudly, "that you should have your own blade that matched your beauty.  It's called Cloud Cutter.  I had the greatest blacksmiths in Equestria forge it from the finest diamonds we could find.  I also had the Circle of Magi enchant it.  It will never become dull, and they even added the rainbow effect. "

Dash could feel the tears forming in her eyes again, but these were tears of joy.  "Thanks," she said with a sniffle.

Dusk looked up at the ceiling, as he thought quietly to himself.  "You don't like rings, right?" he asked.

"No?" Dash said having no idea where this was going.

"I've got an idea," he said.  "Can I see your sword?"  Dash handed him Cloud Cutter.  He carefully took it in his hooves, and knelt in front of the rainbow-maned pegusus.  "Rainbow Dash," he stated proudly as he presented her the sword, "  I love you more than the world itself.  Will you marry me?"

Dash was taken aback by his request.  Her mouth hung open in shock.  She could feel her heart pumping fiercely in her chest.  Her mind was completely baffled.  Her heart forced her to say what her mind couldn't.  "YES!" she said taking the sword.  She dropped it on the fluffy ground, and embraced Dusk.  Her warm lips met his in a fiery display of passion.  Dash broke off the embrace.  She placed Cloud Cutter in its jeweled scabbard and flung it on her back.  Unable to keep the bounce out of her step, she hurried to the door.  "I'm going to Sugarcube Corner to tell my friends," she said with joy in her voice.  "I think I'm going to ask them to help out.  They were amazing at Cadence's wedding a few years ago."

Dusk laughed jovially at her.  "You do what you want," he yelled back.  "I'm going to tell Celestia and Luna.  They'll be overjoyed at the news.

Dash leapt out of the door as fast as lightning.  She soared high in the sky, feeling nothing but happiness in her heart.  She set course for Sugarcube Corner.  "I'm getting married!" she screamed to the heavens as Ponyville came into view, "I'm living the dream!"