An earth pony shuffled through their bedroom door into their bathroom, while the tan-like skin color reflected on the mirror they checked other features of themselves. The way their black and white mane (tail too) looked, if it was too frizzy or too smooth. Just right enough to resemble their trademark style, something they knew to keep consistent. They knew that they had to look presentable for where they were going, nothing overly formal. The casual, but ever-good looking scruffy style that many famous ponies would use, some included Vinyl Scratch and Neon Lights.
Once the earth pony was satisfied with their style and everything else, they went through their usual motions that allotted time in the bathroom. After those endeavors they returned to their bedroom and checked the clock, at the same time grabbing the necessities for their important day. The earth pony glanced at the two bags that would they would be carrying, happy that their word bubble cutie mark and stamped name above were plastered eloquently on either side.
While the earth pony was quite giddy from excitement for their first date with a special somepony they had met. One with a fluorescent rainbow mane and tail, both ruffled in a similar way to theirs, but still unique and beautiful. Both had met for the same reason, and the earth pony had fallen in love at first sight, a cliché moment they weren't afraid to admit. After their fated meeting, both had arranged for another, more planned meeting. Though the earth pony was told almost nothing about the actual date, just a few items to bring (a checklist for that endeavor was created), but based off their “book-smarts” and their uncanny ability to know what will happen they had a feeling how the date would go.
The date was to start off at approximately noon, then continue till the omniscient Princess Celestia lowered the sun and the young Princess Luna raised the moon. The earth pony had been instructed to bring a few things in a letter, which read along the lines of:
Quibble Pants,
Our date is going to be awesome, just meet me at the town center of Ponyville and we can get started, that's all I'm telling, but you'll have to trust me. I want everything to be a surprise! Don't worry this isn't a prank, I think you'll like it. So, anyway, I need you to bring a few things. It's nothing big, something that'll fit in a satchel bag or two.
Okay, first you'll need a towel, a beach towel should work. Then go ahead and get some sunscreen, there'll be a ton of fun in the sun so you've gotta be prepared! I think that's all you need, I've got the rest, just be prepared to have the awesomest date you've ever been on!
-Rainbow Dash
Quibble Pants had thoroughly read over the letter a few times, letting hints here and there direct him to what seemed to be a set up for a very cliché date. The list of items he had to retrieve and lug around until he arrived were the easiest in predicting what the date itself held. The beach towel was an easy guess, anypony could infer the MO of Rainbow Dash, and the first thing he deducted was that they would do something on the beach. But, there was no beach near Ponyville, the place Quibble Pants had been told to meet at.
So, this meant that the said item would be for swimming, yet the time of day also contributed to it. The two were to have lunch, Rainbow Dash would most likely be making it, something he suspected that not many knew she could do, as many seemed to take her as a tom-mare who wanted to do nothing but constant dangerous endeavors. Quibble deduced that they would both be traveling to the pond near by to have a picnic.
It was a conclusion that anypony would have come to, for Quibble his challenge was knowing what the whole date would entail. He had a hunch based off the surroundings and paths diverging from the pond like a spiderweb. Along with his thoughts on Rainbow's literature preferences, he felt that he already knew the whole date. But he wasn't one to think what he had hypothesized was set in stone, though he was almost certain that the way he had predicted the first part of the date would actually happen.
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Quibble Pants looked left and right, admiring the simplicity and homey feel of the town center of Ponyville. He had arrived precisely ten minutes before the specified time set by Rainbow Dash, just early enough to have a break from carrying the saddle bags and look for the cyan colored Pegasus. He searched the air more than the surrounding area as he knew that Dash would want to make a grand entrance and impress him, his small amount of time with her and Daring Doo had let him infer that much.
A few moments later he saw his date, and as Quibble had predicted Rainbow Dash did a few extravagant flips and spins before landing. Somehow she kept her own saddle bags on herself even while facing upward, parallel to the ground. She trotted over, grinning all the while, “How's it goin’ Quibble? You ready for this amazing date I have planned?”
Quibble gave a smile in return, “Of course, let's see if you meet my standards, huh?” His smile morphed into a sly grin.
Dash flew a bit off the ground in anticipation, “Ha, that's a challenge if I've ever heard one.” She floated casually back to the ground and began walking toward one of the paths leading away from the center, gesturing with her head for Quibble to follow. “Come on Quibble, we've only got so much time before Princess Luna throws the moon up. Twilight said that she was going to do something with the stars tonight.”
Quibble trotted a little faster than he thought was needed, but with the speed Rainbow Dash was going, he was pretty sure it was fine. Once he caught up with Dash, he took a second to process what she had said. “Wait, you know Princess Twilight?” He glanced at the castle overlooking the town in the distance.
Dash chuckled, “Pssh, yeah. Kinda have to, Element of Harmony and all that.” She flicked her head, implying for his attention to be directed toward her flank. Something that once, he realized the two things that were happening gave his cheeks a red tinge. The embarrassment of not recognizing who she was was one catalyst, more so was the satisfaction of being able to look at a certain somepony’s flank.
“Oh...oh! You're the Element of Loyalty, aren't you?” Quibble said.
Rainbow Dash puffed out her chest, “Heh, yeah. Definitely something that I like to brag about, but honestly I think that being a Wonderbolt is way cooler.”
The duo continued to talk about random, non-relatable subjects that included (for the most part) a long discussion about the Daring Doo series. Eventually, they arrived at their destination. This destination was precisely what Quibble had predicted.
“A pond, huh?” Quibble remarked as he trotted to the shade a tree provided near the said pond.
“Sweet, right? I go here with my friends a ton, so I figured you'd want a piece of this awesomeness.” Her voice cracked here and there, but she took it in turn. She flew over the pond, skimming a wing against the water and landing next to Quibble. “Are you ready for a rad chillax lunch date?”
Quibble flopped onto the beach towels they had laid down along the waterside. Grinning to himself for multiple reasons, the best of them being that he had been correct in his hypothesis. After a moment of gloating, he focused back to the date with Rainbow, “Totally ready, what's in store for the pallet?”
“Well, let's see…” Rainbow Dash began to retrieve assorted foods and a few drinks from her saddlebags, eventually laying it all out for them to enjoy.
Time passed quickly for Quibble, enjoying the date and time with Dash and having fun in general. Once they had finished eating their lunch, Rainbow stood up to stretch and his eyes narrowed in thought. Though the pond was close and primed for a nice swim, he knew that she was aware that it most likely wasn't a great idea to swim right after they ate. Something he figured she had learnt the hard way from doing the same with flying and racing. With the multiple paths surrounding the area, along with the beginning trend of clichés, Quibble figured they would be going on a romantic walk.
Rainbow Dash finished her long stretch as he began to get up, “Hey Quibble, wanna go on a walk?”
And a point for Quibble, Rainbow Dash seems to be lagging behind in the surprise factor, it seems she may obtain quite the losing streak. Quibble held back a chuckle for his inner monologue, opting to answer Dash, “Ah, sure. I'm up for it.”
They left behind the lunch set up, trusting that it wouldn't be stolen or messed with and set out on a walk. Quibble figured that Dash was going to “wing it” for the walking, as she hesitated when the first of the many diverging paths showed up, forcing her to make a decision. He didn't have anything against Rainbow Dash, for the most part, stalling till she could unveil her (he looked at the sun for an estimate of their time left) last part of the date. Seeing as the moon would be up and illuminating the night by the time they finished their walk, he figured that the last thing on the list was a romantic dinner or some hay pizza and chill.
Quibble decided to start the conversation, “So, whatcha been up to since I saw you?”
Dash grinned at the chance to boast, “Well, ya see…” She hopped a little in excitement, “I just got to go to Griffonstone and help out my friend Gilda.”
“Oh?”
“It was so cool! There was just this big free-for-all going on and I almost fell into a chasm, but Gilda saved me and we almost got this crazy old artifact, but it fell in.” She paused. “Oh yeah, Pinkie was there too.”
He nodded, following along, “Have you thought of telling A.K Yearling about it? I bet she'd like to hear about it, maybe use it to write an actual fiction book. One that's good too.”
“Totally! Daring Doo would love it!” Dash replied, ignoring Quibble’s comment on the newer books in the series.
Quibble took a breath to respond, but stopped once he realized what she had said, “Don't you mean A.K. Yearling, Daring Doo is obviously her pen name.”
Rainbow Dash shook her head, “Pssh, I don't know what you're talking about, her name is Daring Doo. Like, the only reason she uses the name A.K. Yearling to hide the fact that she is Daring Doo.”
They continued the discussion, meandering through the different paths. Most of their talking was filled with Daring Doo and her adventures, both of them rarely agreeing on something relating to it, but still having a good time. Eventually, after a good while, Celestia deemed it time for the sun to fall and Luna took over for the night. Rainbow Dash gained a glint in her eye and gestured for Quibble to follow her, flying fast at his expense.
They reached their destination in due time, whatever that time was. The destination was, surprise, a restaurant. Quibble was considering trying his luck in fortune telling with how proficient he was becoming at predicting the future. He withheld a sigh and threw on a smile, mostly coming from just being with Rainbow Dash.
“Oh hoh hoh, a fancy dinner Dash? How unexpected of someone with your stature.”
Rainbow Dash blushed, “I thought that you wouldn't like some cheap hay pizza or something like that on the first date, so I figured I could use some of those extra bits from what the Wonderbolts pay me and treat you, ya know? I don't wanna be just an athletic tom-stallion, I want to…” She paused, her cheeks turning even more red, “to be like a marefriend.”
Quibble blushed this time, most unexpected. “Uh…” He regained what may be considered somewhat of a composure, “I-I hope to be a good stallion-friend for you.”
The couple made their way to the table, Quibble subconsciously followed along, more focused on the prospect of a pony like Rainbow Dash being his marefriend. Only coming back into reality once they arrived at the table, which was situated outside the restaurant and had a single, burning candle in the middle of the table. He smiled at Dash’s cheesiness, letting the cliché slide for once.
Once Quibble was comfortably seated at his seat he glanced at Dash, who was also doing the same. “I like the set up, very fancy.”
Rainbow Dash grinned, “Heh, of course you like it.” Her confidence apparently returned. “I thought of it.”
“You did?!” Quibble gave an exaggerated gasp, “I thought that waiter had done all this!”
“Ha! Yeah right!” Rainbow Dash chuckled, “It was all me, no way I was gonna let somepony get in the way.”
The couple continued to tease each other, occasionally discussing something remotely interesting through the night. But, as the ponies around them came and went, they finally decided that they should end their date. Once everything was paid for, the two walked back to the town center where Rainbow Dash would be taking off and returning to her home.
“So, uh…” Quibble wasn't sure what to say. He wouldn't tell anypony pony, be he actually hadn't been on a date before. All his assumptions and actions were from romance books he had read prior to the date. “I, umm, had a great time...and, uh, hope-” His awkward stammering was interrupted by the pressure of soft lips against his.
Rainbow Dash pulled away and flapped her wings a few times, stopping once she was hovering a few feet in the air. “I had an amazing time Quibble, let's do it again yeah?” She promptly flew away before he could respond, a red tinge had been painted across her cheeks before she turned.
A cliché way to end a cliché date. Heh, I like it. Quibble turned away from the receding figure of Rainbow Dash, happily humming to himself.
“...My saddlebags!”
Author's Note
Well, I know it isn't my usual kind of one-shot, but I've been wanting to try something different and I think it went well. I was afraid I wasn't going to make it for the release date, but somehow I finished it and got it looked over by noon.
When I saw there were only a few stories that even mentioned Quibble Pants I knew that had to be fixed, so I set out to make a one-shot that would be as close to how Quibble would've acted had he gone on a date with Rainbow Dash. I tried my best to give it an almost Sherlock Holmes feel (from the movies) where he analyzes what's happening and already knows what action will cause what. But once I started writing, it really was just an idea I based it off of.
The funny thing is that I actually thought that it would be interesting for Twlight and Quibble to date, since they both seem to have an equal love of reading along with being able to thoroughly discuss what happens in the books. Something that I think would make them an interesting pair. But when I thought about writing this, I knew that Rainbow Dash would work better, and the set up was a lot better than finding a way for it to happen with Twlight.
Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed my last story before I go on a month (about four-ish weekends to be precise) hiatus. I plan to put out a OctaScratch Halloween story for, well, Halloween so keep a lookout for that. If you liked reading this, go ahead and tell me in the comments! Same goes for if you disliked it, I always like feedback and knowing what I did right and what I can do to improve!
-Till the next one
