Chapter 1
View Online

Broken Wings

Chapter 1

Broken Wings
by Kaline Reine

Disclaimer: I don't own MLPFiM, this is just a fan story.

WARNINGS: Adult content/clop in second chapter. Slight adult situations but nothing too bad in the first chapter. Just some drama and some fluff.

Notes: This story was written for BlueAlpha11. Hope you like it. ;)

========================================================

She smiled, as she zipped past everything with lightning speed. The sky was her territory; she could control everything. Rainbow Dash was happy. It was a beautiful, clear day. Not a cloud in sight. Which meant that she had the day off to do pretty much whatever she wanted.

A new trick was what it would take for her to win the Best Young Fliers competition again this year. The competition was still quite a bit away, nearly an entire year, but it never hurt to practice. And it's not like she had anything better to do anyway...

The blue pony soared through the air with practiced ease. Nothing seemed impossible to her. She knew she needed a new trick; something she could perform at the competition that would really dazzle everyone. And she knew it would have to be even better than the Sonic Rainboom from last year.

She'd had to compete with Rarity, of all people... Which she didn't exactly mind, but it had made her feel incredibly awkward for reasons she didn't quite fully understand. The young Pegasus had thought she bombed it, until her friend was in trouble. Dashie was just glad she was able to come through in the end and, to even her own astonishment, actually pull it off.

This time it was her turn to shine. No one else would be there to steal her spotlight this year. She'd already spoken with Rarity and the others about it, just to be extra certain. She wouldn't need her friends to cheer her on this time, now that she'd already won once. Her confidence was at it's peak. All that's left is for her to find a way to officially join the Wonderbolts. That was her dream, and nothing would deter her from it.

Rainbow Dash had been working on perfecting a new trick. And it was going to be even more spectacular than the Sonic Rainboom. She just knew it! All she had to do was set everything up perfectly... And such a thing could only be done on a completely clear day like this. The clouds would only get in the way. She knew they would be able to clear the area for her performance at the competition, so it shouldn't be a problem. Pegasi did control the weather, after all...

This new trick had yet to be named, but if done correctly, it would combine super speed with beauty and grace. Something that had yet to be done. If she were really lucky, she might even be able to dazzle the judges enough to win both categories at once. And even if not, she had every right to dream.

She had everything lined up without a flaw. There was only one thing left, and that was to do the trick. The Pegasus kept making her way higher... Up and up and up.

"Come on Rainbow Dash," She told herself. "You can do this. Piece of cake."

Cyan wings ripped through the atmosphere, as she came back down again. Her wings folded completely behind her back, making her more aerodynamic than ever. That also meant she was falling faster than before too. She could barely see anything as it all passed her by so quickly. She barely even had time to blink! This was going to be the most awesome trick ever, she was sure of it. Now all she had to do was quickly slow to a stop to nail the landing.

...Of course, not everything goes exactly as planned.

Just as she pulled her wings forward and upward for her landing, they began to tear. A Pegasus pony's wings were only made to take so much. They clearly weren't made for a stunt of this magnitude. She became unstable and lost control of herself.

"Yah!" She screamed, but no one was around to hear her. "Oww, help! Oh no!"

A multi-colored blur whirled across the sky. She felt a sharp pain and heard two distinct snaps. It was a cracking sound that caused pain to surge through her body, making her sick to her stomach immediately.

"No no no no no!!!" She shrieked. "HELP! Ack!"

Rainbow Dash was terrified. She didn't even manage to get out her usual cry for others to 'look out below' this time. Her flight of horror seemed to go on and on, losing and then gaining speed, only to lose it again. Her limbs flailed wildly Everything was moving so quickly past her, she could barely see. She sailed by, narrowly missing a tree on her dizzying freefall.

Everything faded to a sharp black. And she was done for...

========================================================

"Oh, this is just great!" Upon awakening, the first thing she heard was someone bickering sarcastically. "This whole mess is going to take forever to fix!"

A white unicorn was running around the room hurriedly, using her magic to pick things up. It looked like she was distressed, a little annoyed, and in a rush. There was a general commotion in the room, and Rainbow Dash felt that she was not alone.

Wait... Room? She raised her head and looked around. No one noticed her. They were all too busy talking and making a fuss. She put her head back down. Even that small movement seemed to take a tremendous amount of effort. There were mannequins everywhere and fabric strewn all about. Beads and baubles hung from fallen rafters, as sunlight filtered into the room through a huge hole in the roof. This looked like the inside of Carousel Boutique- Rarity's workplace that doubled as her house. No wonder she was so upset.

"Now Rarity..." That was definitely Applejack's voice, thick with a southern twang. "We can help yuh fix this mess. It oughta be no problem. Ah reckon we could have it done in a jiffy. That's what I'm here for, after all."

Applejack was helping Rarity clean up the obvious mess. The others were helping too, but the hard-working earth pony was getting things done at an almost alarming rate.

It caused Rainbow Dash to flinch back a little. They still didn't see her and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to talk right now. Her whole body hurt, and she needed to figure out why... She was just disoriented at the moment. She really didn't feel well at all. Her vision was fading in and out but she could still hear everything.

The first voice answered back with attitude. "Well, she should have been more careful and watched where she was going. Just look at this place!"

"What about poor Rainbow Dash?" Fluttershy's sweet voice rang out amongst the turmoil.

"Not to even mention her! ...Her hair is a total mess." Rarity flung her purple curls behind her as she turned around to continue cleaning.

"This whole thing is getting way out of hand, if ya ask me..." The little purple and green dragon named Spike had to add his two cents as well. He was only there with Twilight Sparkle, but still.

"...That's not what I meant." Fluttershy continued. "Even her wings, they're-"

"Fluttershy's right. We should be more concerned about-" A purple unicorn, obviously Twilight Sparkle, chimed in.

"She's awake!" Pinkie Pie squealed and jumped around the room like a maniac. It caused Rainbow Dash to flinch away, so she stopped, looking sad and dejected. "Awww..."

"How did... I... What... What happened?" The rainbow Pegasus finally managed.

Everyone started talking at once.

"Yuh fell down an'-"

"You hit your head..."

"I dunno!"

"My shop was destroyed!"

"Wheeeee!"

"Y-your wings... They're-"

"We're really not sure-"

"Ugh... Too much," She whined. "One pony at a time, please!"

Pinkie Pie took a deep breath. And then... "Everypony QUIET!"

Everyone stopped. And that was that.

Twilight Sparkle was the first to speak. "Now that we have some order, I'd like to go first. Rainbow Dash, we're really sorry. We don't know what happened but you had a pretty nasty fall. And you broke the roof and part of the wall of Rarity's shop."

Rarity stepped forward, cutting the others off. "Since it's my boutique, I should go next. I think you owe me an apology..." She was absolutely furious.

She didn't know what to think. She was in so much pain... It made everything too difficult. "I can't... Even think straight... I... I'm sorry? I... Didn't mean... For this to happen... Someone... Uff!" And her head fell to the ground. The beautiful blue Pegasus slumped her shoulders in defeat.

"Everypony stop being so hard on her..." Now it was Fluttershy's chance. "Can't you see Rainbow Dash is hurt?" She leaned down close to the injured pony. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I think I need... a doctor this time?"

Dashie hated doctors. She always had. Even Twilight was surprised to hear that come from her mouth.

"Can you move your wings at all?" Emerald eyes blinked right in her face. Goldenrod wings fluttered behind her as she spoke gently and calmly to her injured friend.

But Rainbow Dash didn't pull away because she couldn't. She tried moving first the left wing and then the right. Nothing happened, except pure pain. It was so bad it caused her to cry out. Alarmed, she looked at her back and was shocked.

"My... My wings..." Rainbow Dash gasped.

"I think they're broken..." Fluttershy stated demurely. "I'm sorry."

"Spike!" Twilight Sparkle addressed her apprentice. "Go get help! We need a doctor. Or at least a nurse. Go find Doctor Stable if you can. And hurry!"

"Right!"

He ran off as soon as she told him what to do. Everyone was panicking for one reason or another. Some ponies had gone back to trying to clean up the mess. The rest were just

"Should we try to make her more comfortable?" The pink-haired pony asked shyly.

"I've read that it may not be safe to move a pony who's injured. So it may not be a good idea. We should wait and let the doctor take a look..."

"I'll be fine," Rainbow Dash managed. "I'd help clean up if I could. I'm really sorry..."

Fluttershy decided to lie down next to her. "I'll stay with you until the doctor gets here. I never was much good at cleaning anyway."

Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, and Rarity continued to clean up the mess. They added a lot of broken wood to a junk pile and tried to salvage what they could of the decorations. There were colorful little carousel horses scattered around. It made for a pretty sad picture.

Flying was the only thing Rainbow Dash felt she was good at. Now that she couldn't anymore, it was really depressing for the rainbow-maned Pegasus. She was lying there wondering what she could possibly do if she weren't able to fly anymore... She waited for the doctor, content to let Fluttershy hum a sweet little song for her. Somehow, she managed a smile through all of the pain. At least her friends really cared about her.

Spike ran back in. "I'm back! And I found help."

"Where's the injured Pegasus?" A stallion with medium-length brown hair and a plain tan coat came into the building. He wore a white coat and had a stethoscope around his neck. He'd also brought a medical bag with him.

"Right this way," Rarity led him to her injured friend, who was all the way on the other side of the big room. "She's in a lot of pain and we've all been quite worried about her..."

"I'm Doctor Stable," He introduced himself to the blue pony lying on the floor. "And I'm here to see what I can do to help."

"Thanks for coming. It really hurts." Was her answer.

"What happened here?" He wanted to know.

"I was trying to do a new trick, but I guess I got carried away and lost control... I remember barely missing a tree and then I blacked out."

Rarity added her two cents. "This is my boutique and also my home. I saw the whole thing, and I was so scared... She came in right through the roof! Rainbow Dash also happens to be a good friend of mine. I didn't know what to do until the rest of our friends showed up a few minutes later."

"Well the crash was pretty loud..." Twilight Sparkle commented. "And I don't live that far."

"I'm sure everypony must've heard it!" Pinkie Pie bounded over to where her fallen friend lay.

Everyone had stopped cleaning and gathered around for his diagnosis. They were all concerned for her well-being. It was nice to know that even Rarity, who had been the real victim in all this, was even worried about her.

Rainbow Dash cooperated with the doctor as much as she could. His first concern were her wings. They were in really bad shape; a mangled mess of feathers and twisted bones. He asked her to do a bunch of exercises, lifting them and stretching them out and such, but she could do none of them. She claimed it hurt too badly to move and she didn't know if she could walk. The doctor also examined her back, as well as her legs and hooves to check for any fractures.

"...And I have a bad headache too." She finished. He just nodded.

After checking her out, Dr. Stable took out a roll of bandages from a medical bag. "I'm afraid your wings are broken, my dear... I'm going to have to bandage them up and set the bones so they can heal properly. It appears that everything else is okay, and you should be able to walk once you regain your balance. I'll have to give you medication for the pain as well. Do you have someone who can re-bandage your wings for you every day? You won't be able to do it yourself. Or would you like to stay in the hospital?"

Rainbow Dash looked around helplessly. No one said anything for a while.

Rarity was the first to speak. "She can stay here. I'll change her bandages and whatever else I need to do."

There was a slight commotion in the room. Everyone seemed shocked at this development.

"A-are you sure, Rarity?" Fluttershy was even surprised. "I mean, I could take her and she could stay with me. I don't mind. And I'm used to nursing things back to health."

"Or she could stay with me!" Pinkie Pie bounced around the room in circles, happily. "I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Cake wouldn't mind! We could stay up all night and have tons of parties and eat lots of sugar! Yayyyyy!!!"

"Since she's already here, she would have less of a walk if she stays with me." The unicorn explained. "It would just be easier on everypony. Especially her. And besides, once she's well enough, I'm going to need her help with a few things."

Rainbow Dash smiled. "That's really generous of you, Rarity. And thanks guys."

"What are friends for?"

They all nodded their heads in agreement. The doctor gave her some pills for the pain and finished up with her bandages. Once in a while, she would cry out. The pain was so bad it brought tears to her eyes. He gave her some medicine to take for it. Her wings were very delicate and she didn't like anyone touching them in the first place. But the doctor had to fix what she'd done. By the time he was finished, they were neatly folded on her back.

"Ugh... I'll never try a stupid trick like that ever again..." She cried.

The doctor smiled while he packed his supplies back into the medic bag. "I'll want you to come into my office for a checkup in two weeks. I need to make sure everything is healing properly. And no flying for at least six weeks, or maybe longer."

Rainbow Dash nodded. "Gotcha. Thanks doc."

The doctor tipped his head to everyone and politely left the building. He'd bill her later, when she went in for the checkup. No one was worried about that right now.

"Now that that's overwith," Applejack was talking to the white unicorn who owned the premises. "Is it okay if ah come back tomorrow to help yuh finish up this cleanin'? I'm mighty tired." She yawned to emphasize her point.

"Of course," Rarity tried to smiled. She was having a terrible day but she knew Dashie's was worse right now. "Whenever you can, that would be lovely."

"It's no problem at all. Take care of yerself Rainbow Dash. Feel better." With that, she was gone. It didn't take her long to show herself out. Applejack didn't like to dawdle or waste time.

"I can stay and help out for a little longer..." Fluttershy gave a small smile. She hadn't left Rainbow Dash's side the entire time, but now she stood up eagerly.

"Me too." Spike started walking around and picking up debris that had scattered in the crash. "I love helping."

They all knew it was mostly due to his crush on Rarity, and not due to actual helpfulness. Everyone with the exception of Rarity herself, who seemed oblivious. This had been going on for some time. Everyone else had already figured it out. But he'd made them all promise not to say anything. Which seemed pretty silly...

"Oh no you don't," Twilight Sparkle chided him. "It's getting late, we need to get some sleep soon. We'll come back tomorrow too, if that's okay, Rarity?"

Lavender curls bobbed up and down as she nodded in agreement. "That's fine. Everypony can go. Thank you for all of your help and hard work today. I should be able to handle it from here."

"I just hope you're going to be okay, Rainbow Dash."

Dashie raised her head. "Ah, don't worry about it Twilight. I'm feeling a little bit better. Hahah, I'll be fine!" She had a bit of a dopey smile on her face.

Twilight sighed. "Uhm... Rarity...?" She leaned in close to whisper to her.

"Yes?"

"You might want to keep a close eye on that crazy filly. I've read some medical books, and pain meds can really mess a pony up sometimes. She might be a little... Out of it. Are you sure you don't want her to stay someplace else? Like with me?"

Rarity snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. Rainbow Dash and I shall be perfectly fine. Isn't that right, Rainbow-"

They turned around and noticed she was gone. She was holding on to several strands of ribbon with her teeth and Pinkie Pie was pulling her around the room on her stomach. They looked like they were having fun. But everyone was more concerned about Rainbow Dash's wings.

"I'm mobile again! Faster, faster!"

"I'm trying!" Pinkie called out. "I can't go too fast, or it might hurt you."

"You two, stop that at once!" Rarity yelled. "This is no time for fooling around. And you should be taking it easy, Rainbow Dash."

"I know! I should go home and bring you guys some cake tomorrow! Or maybe even cupcakes!" The pink pony with the playful balloons on her flank laughed merrily. "See you later Rainbow Dash! You'd better get better! See ya later Rarity! And everypony else! Byeeeeee!" Pinkie Pie let go of the ribbons and darted out the door without a second thought.

"We're just... Gonna go too." Twilight Sparkle also departed, with her baby dragon in tow.

Rarity sighed. "This might be harder than I thought."

"Uhm..." Fluttershy made her presence known. Barely. "I know you've got a lot on your hooves, but... I think maybe someone should go and get Rainbow Dash's things. Since she'll be here for a while?"

"Oh! I never even thought of that! How am I going to get way up there? I don't even know where she lives! But I'm sure it's in the clouds. And I can't fly."

"Well... Since I'm the only other Pegasus pony here, I thought maybe I could... Try?"

"That's a wonderful idea," Rarity smiled. "Thanks so much. Do you know how to get to her house?"

Fluttershy nodded. "We've been friends since we were very young. Just leave it to me. I'll come back tonight, since she probably needs her stuff. Angel can watch the cottage while I'm gone."

The yellow pegasus left the other two behind, flying out of the hole that Rainbow Dash had left in the roof. She was busy thinking of all the things her friends would need her to pack. She'd only been to her house a few times but she remembered the way. Fluttershy was no idiot. She might be a little afraid of heights, but when her friends really needed her, she could be counted on no matter what.

Rarity turned back to see what she could do about Rainbow Dash. She caught the other filly making stupid faces at herself in the mirror.

"Mlehhh!" Dashie stuck her tongue out at herself.

The unicorn snorted firmly. "It's time for us to sleep soon. The sun is going down. I think we had best find you a suitable place to sleep. Would you be alright on a sofa, just for tonight?

"Anywhere is fine," She giggled.

Rarity would never admit this to anyone, but she actually thought it was pretty cute. Especially hearing her darling little giggle.

There was no time to worry about that right now. She had to find a place for her friend to sleep. Working as quickly as she could, Rarity grabbed some pillows and blankets. Running upstairs, she used her magic to move her red sofa downstairs in another room. It wouldn't too for her to sleep in the room with the hole in the ceiling... Even if she did cause it.

When she came back, Rainbow Dash was standing in the middle of the room.

"Alright, I've prepared a bed for you. How are you feeling?"

"To be honest, I'm a little hungry..." Rainbow Dash's stomach growled to emphasize her point.

"Not a problem," Rarity threw a dark purple blanket over her. "Wear this in case you get cold. I'll go make us some sandwiches, since I'm pretty hungry too. Try to stay out of trouble, okay?"

It didn't take long. All she had to do was go into the kitchen and use her magic to get some sandwiches and drinks ready. She returned in a matter of minutes, and was grateful to find that Rainbow Dash hadn't moved very much. She was sitting in the floor, looking pretty miserable though.

"You can sleep in the other room. I'll show you, if you think you can walk right now."

"It should be fine," Dashie followed her friend into the other room, where there was a large sofa made up for her. "Awww, thanks."

A loud meow came from the other room. "I didn't forget about you, Opal. I'm coming!"

"Who the heck is 'Opal'?" The Pegasus wanted to know.

"Oh, I have a cat. It's not a big deal. I hope you don't mind. Opalescence stays out of everyone's way, for the most part. I have to go feed her but I'll be right back."

It gave her a minute to think, and Rainbow Dash immediately felt kind of bad. 'Poor Rarity... If only there was something I could do to help more.'

But she knew there was nothing she could do. She wasn't in any shape to help anyone else right now. She could barely help herself. But she resolved to at least eat the sandwich that her friend had so thoughtfully made for her. Dash really wasn't used to being treated like this. She'd never been pampered or taken care of by anyone in her entire life. So why start now? She didn't like this one bit.

"Thanks for being so nice to me Rarity." She told the Unicorn, once she returned. "Not everyone would be this kind. Or this generous."

"That's what friends are for, dear."

"Yeah... Maybe you're right."

The two of them just sat there talking for the rest of the evening, until it was almost time to go to sleep. Rainbow Dash was exhausted from her day and she was sure Rarity was too. The glamorous Unicorn couldn't stop yawning and finally resolved to go upstairs to sleep.

"I'll see you in the morning Rainbow Dash. Goodnight."

"Sure. 'Night."

She curled up on the sofa with her tail covering her nose. The injured Pegasus did everything she could not to further strain her wings. A lot of thoughts were going through her head. Mostly about Rarity and how nice she was being... But about lots of other things too.

========================================================

It hadn't been until later that night when Fluttershy had stopped by to drop off some of Rainbow Dash's important belongings. She knew she couldn't decorate her new room the way she wanted to. It was still Rarity's house, and the charming white Unicorn was very finicky when it came to her decor.

The first day, everypony had come over just as they'd promised. They all helped Rarity clean up. Rainbow Dash had wished she'd been able to help more. But there was nothing she could safely do, except pretty much supervise. So that was the chore her friends had given her- To keep everypony organized and make sure the necessary things got done. It was moments like that which made her glad that she had such sweet and caring friends.

Over the next week or so, the cyan Pegasus was getting more and more uncomfortable with the way things were progressing. She felt like nothing but a burden. Especially when she had to watch all the other ponies helping Rarity clean. She knew her friend was so nice to let her stay here and help take care of her... She really needed to find a way to pay her back. She felt like an ungrateful guest, even though she did everything she could not to be.

It was last one night when she was finally able to be honest about her feelings... Which was something she wasn't used to doing. But she had to this time, because it was driving her insane.

"These look absolutely dreadful..." Rarity muttered, while she was changing Rainbow Dash's bandages that night. "It's such a shame that we can't do something else with them."

Her multi-colored mane fluttered as she nodded vigorously. "Yeah... My wings do look pretty stupid all taped up like that. But they match how I feel, I guess."

"What do you mean by that?"

The white unicorn pulled her plain white bandages taught around one wing. It was finished. Then she moved around to the other side, to work on the other.

"I feel really useless lately." The Pegasus admitted to her friend. "It's like I want to help you and return the favor for you letting me stay here, but I can't right now. And it really bothers me."

"I have an idea," Rarity smiled while she continued to work on her other wing.

"You do?" Dashie seemed to perk up with hope, instantly.

"Mm-hmm. I know you want to help me, and even though it really is okay... There's this local fashion show coming up in a few weeks right here in Ponyville, and some of my designs are going to be displayed. And I could really use someone's advice. I have my models chosen, and the outfits made... But I can't decide which ones to use in it. I could really use a second opinion."

The blue pony's heart sank. That wasn't what she really wanted, but... If it would help, even in the slightest of ways, then she would do it. All she really wanted was to find a way to pay back her friend's generousity, as well as making up for the act that she'd destroyed her home and workplace all at once.

The hole in the ceiling had been fixed now, thanks to all of the ponies in their circle of friends working together. Most of the mess Rainbow Dash had created had actually already been fixed.

"It's not exactly what I had in mind... But if it'll help you, then I'll do it."

"Wonderful! That will save me so much time and worry!" Rarity finished up the other wing, stepping back to see if it was okay. "You know, I have another idea... Wait just a second!"

Before Rainbow Dash could say anything, her friend was gathering up many different kinds of fabric and ribbon. She was back in a flash, shocking the other pony with her sudden burst of energy.

"I wish I could still move that fast," Dashie wouldn't say so, but it made her feel kind of bad. She had a sense of loss ever since her accident. "Whatcha got?"

"I think we could make you look fabulous! Just bear with me for a moment."

And Rarity set to work wrapping her wings in lots of pretty colors. It took about half an hour or so, but by the time she was done, the Pegasus really did look fabulous. Her wings sparkled with different colors. Oddly, they complimented her. Crisscrossing ribbons of pastel rainbow made an 'X' across her shattered appendages, which were otherwise wrapped in a stunning shade of blue which matched Rainbow Dash's natural coat very closely.

"What do you think?" Rarity ushered her over to a mirror.

Rainbow Dash's face lit up. "Rarity! It's beautiful! I think this is definitely twenty percent cooler than the medical wraps the doctor had on me." She giggled delightedly. She really was happy with it.

"Does it hurt? Is it uncomfortable at all?"

She tried to move her wings a little. They were healing, but it still hurt. "It feels about the same as before. It just looks much better."

That was all she needed to hear. "Rainbow Dash... Would you mind terribly doing me an enormous favor?"

"Sure. What did you have in mind?" Though she had a feeling she already knew.

"Well... The fashion show I told you about... Would you like to be in it, instead? It would really help me a lot. Just think of how much everyone would be thrilled. We could launch a new line of fashion accessories for injured ponies! You'd make a perfect model! Pleeeeeeease?"

Rainbow Dash had to think about it for a moment... On one hand, she'd be helping out a friend who had helped her. And she kind of owed it to Rarity after knocking down her ceiling and all. She'd sounded really excited about it. That settled it.

"I'll do it." She smiled at her friend.

"Oh, thank you thank you thaaaaaaank youuuuuuu!"

Rarity danced around happily for several minutes, chattering away about how fantastic the fashion show would be. Dashie agreed with her on every turn. She really didn't know what she had to do, but she knew she could pull it off if it meant helping her friend this much. Eventually she settled down and the two of them managed to get in a few minutes of decent conversation.

"I know I'm going to be so nervous about it..." The Pegasus grudgingly admitted.

"It's going to be fun once we get everything rehearsed," Rarity was lying on the floor with her front legs and chin resting on the sofa where Dashie usually slept. "It's basically just putting on cute clothes and walking down a runway, then walking backstage. That's all you have to do."

"I can do that. No problem. In fact, I'll be the fastest!"

"The fastest?" The unicorn wrinkled her nose, clearly appalled at the idea. "Oh no no, sweetie... You've got to walk slowly."

"Why?"

"So everyone can have a chance to really look at the outfit you'll have on. That's the entire point of having a fashion show."

Rainbow locks fell in her face, and she nodded lightly. "I think I get it. But what kind of-"

Her heart skipped a beat when she realized her friend had fallen asleep on the couch talking with her. She followed with a sweet smile. At first she'd thought it might be a bad idea, but the more time she spent with Rarity, the more she found she was actually enjoying it.

'She looks so cute when she's sleeping...' Rainbow Dash shook her head, as if she could shake away the unwanted thoughts. 'What am I thinking?'

Before she could stop herself, the sky blue Pegasus was leaning in close. She wasn't sure what she wanted, but she knew that if she could just get a little bit closer... It would be okay.

Her muzzle touched Rarity's. The sleeping Unicorn didn't even move when it happened. Dashie could feel her pulse racing. It wa odd being this close to her. She'd never dare to do it otherwise, she really felt like the other pony would reject her if she even dared to risk something like this, under normal circumstances. But these circumstances were hardly normal, were they?

Their lips touched... She lightly explored her friends mouth for a moment, before hurriedly pulling away. She was panting and her pulse had quickened even more. A mirror across the room showed her just how dark her blush was... At this point, she looked like one of Applejack's apples.

"Mmm?" Long eyelashes fluttered, as Rarity woke up only moments after the stolen kiss. She still appeared to be in a state of half-sleep. "Rainbow Dash?"

"You fell asleep," She really hoped her friend hadn't noticed the kiss. "On the couch and I uh... Thought you might be uncomfortable there."

The fashionista wasn't that naive. She knew something was up, but wasn't sure what it was. Maybe Rainbow Dash just felt uncomfortable sharing her makeshift bed with someone?

"I'm sorry..."

"It's alright." Dashie smiled. "It's more than alright. I mean, you don't have to feel bad or anything."

Rarity yawned, getting to her feet. "Okay Rainbow Dash. I'm really tired, so I'm off to get some sleep in my own bed. See you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, for sure. Goodnight Rarity."

"'Night." She left Rainbow Dash to go to sleep.

The blue Pegasus sighed, before curling up on the sofa. She suddenly found herself wishing that she'd just have all the answers already... She wanted to know what went on in Rarity's head. She wished she knew how her friend felt about her. Luxurious purple curls and a doll-like perfect porcelain graced her with their presence in her thoughts, as she fell asleep.

========================================================

The following week, she'd gone in for her scheduled checkup with Doctor Stable. He said that Rarity's designs were not only fashionable, but because of the care put into their placement, they were actually helping her wings too. She hadn't really been expecting that, but it was great news anyway.

If she could have flown, she definitely would have. Rainbow Dash couldn't wait to get home to give her new roommate the great news! She found herself actually running back to the Carousel Boutique. Something she thought she wouldn't be able to do this soon... And it didn't hurt at all! This was so exciting...

When she got back, she realized in horror that Spike was still there. He was supposed to go home earlier this afternoon to help Twilight Sparkle with something. But he'd chosen to stick around even longer, much to Dashie's annoyance.

"And then I was like... No WAY I'll let you get away with that! And he was so scared. You shoulda seen him!" The purple dragon rambled on.

She could hear Rarity's delighted giggle. And her heart sank. "That was very brave, Spike."

Magenta eyes rolled back in her head, when Rainbow Dash forced herself to enter the room. She tried to get along with him, she really did. It was just... It was really hard for her to always see him crushing on Rarity and doting on her all the time. The lovely white Unicorn generally wanted nothing to do with him, but since he was so insistent on helping her with things, she seemed to keep him around.

It was painfully to everyone else that she was more or less using him. But Dashie didn't blame Rarity for it one bit! It was Spike who had always insisted on being used by her. So no one really did anything to stop it. Even now, the little suck-up was still prattling on.

"Ahem..." She tried again to make her presence known.

"Oh, Rainbow Dash. I'm so glad you're back! What did the doctor say? I hope my designs didn't cause too much trouble?"

Rainbow Dash sighed. She couldn't stay annoyed with Rarity, not even for a minute. As soon as she fluttered those eyelashes at her, that was it.

"Actually, no... The doctor said they'd be good as new in no time," Dashie did her best to smile. It wasn't too hard, considering she now had her friend's attention. "And he said the fabric and ribbons you used are actually helping just like the bandages. So there's nothing to worry about."

The way her face lit up at that moment was completely priceless. "I'm so happy everything is working out! Oh, you just don't know how much the fashion show will mean to me, Dashie!" She even completed her sentence with an adorable bubbly giggle. One that may have even put Pinkie Pie to shame.

The Pegasus flinched, but only for a brief moment. No one had called her that name in years. Moments later, she shook it off. "And I ran all the way here! It was incredible! Didn't even hurt!"

Rarity's smile grew. "I'm so glad... We should get started on the rehearsal right away."

"Hmph." Spike crossed his arms. He muttered something under his breath that sounded a lot like "Don't see what's so great about it..." but no one paid much attention.

"Sure. Just let me get ready..."

Rainbow Dash went to the room that had been set aside for her. It was small, but it was something for now. Her friend had gotten her a small bed to sleep in, and decided to decorate a guest room for when she had company. The prestigious fashion designed often got so wrapped up in her work, that she just wasn't used to having house-guests.

It was nice, and for now the decor was to the Dashie's liking. There was a slight knock on her door a few minutes later.

"I'm about to leave, and thought I'd come say bye." The little purple dragon was always blunt and to the point.

"That's nice of you," Rainbow Dash squinted her eyes at him. "What are you up to?"

"I wanted to ask you for a favor... It's nothing big, really."

"That depends on what it is." She was naturally suspicious. "Is this about Rarity?"

Though she didn't say so, she was half-expecting him to ask her to 'back off' or something. But she didn't think her feelings for the other mare would really be that obvious.

"It's about Rarity," His eyes lit up, full of hope. "You get to spend a lot of time with her..."

"Y-yeah, so?" She was so nervous.

Spike smiled, oblivious to her plight. "Do you think you could try to spy on hr a little for me? Maybe find out more about what she likes and doesn't like? That way, I could really impress her! And find out if she likes me?"

Rainbow Dash thought about it for a moment... She needed to consider this carefully. It wouldn't be right to just say no, based on her own feelings. Spike might be annoying, but he was still her friend. Well, more of a friend-of-a-friend type thing, since he was really Twilight Sparkle's friend. But still. She couldn't be that selfish, no matter how much she cared for Rarity.

This was the moment when she finally realize how much she cared for Rarity. The other pony had been so nice to her... Even when she'd made such a mess of things. The Unicorn definitely had a very kind heart. And those big, sweet deep blue eyes... They were so beautiful. Dashie knew she had it bad for her. It had never occurred to her that she might like females, but... It didn't really bother her that much either. The hard part was that they were friends. And if she told her the truth, Rarity might never talk to her again. She couldn't risk ruining such a wonderful friendship over it. So no matter how strong her feelings might be, she resolved to keep them inside. That was the deciding moment that officially made up her mind.

She had to think of a good excuse not to help Spike. Then it hit her. She wouldn't have to expose her feelings for their mutual friend, and apparent love interest.

"I can't help you," She stated her case with confidence.

"Why not?"

"I'm sorry, but Rarity is my friend. And that would be kind of like betraying her... I would be happy to learn more about her too. But going about it in such a sneaky way isn't what a friend would do. Why don't you jut ask her yourself?"

Rainbow Dash was far too loyal to do something like that behind her friend's back. No matter what Spike thought, she wouldn't regret her decision now.

"Aw, rats!" The young dragon pouted.

"What are you two doing fooling around in here?" Rarity entered the room in a huff. "We've got to get started on picking out designs tonight! Not to mention rehearsing your walk! And Spike, why are you still here?"

Spike clutches his tail, dejected. "I, uh... Was just saying bye to Rainbow Dash! No big deal. Bye Rarity!" He gave her a hug and scampered out the door.

Rarity rolled her eyes at the overly friendly gesture. Rainbow Dash would have normally laughed, but she was silent... She was busy thinking of all the ways she could get rid of a certain little purple nuisance.

========================================================

Over the next few days, they rehearsed their routine carefully.

Rainbow Dash also looked through all of the dresses Rarity had made. Her fashion sense might be a little bit off, since she preferred function over form, but since she wasn't suggesting any changes and just helping narrow down the choices the seamstress had already laid out, it was a joy to help out.

Days came and went... She noticed that Spike was bothered by something. But he never said what it was, even if he did act a little more strangely than usual.

The blue Pegasus was not worried about anything today. ...Other than her performance at the fashion show, that is. This was her day to shine! She'd made a solemn promise to Rarity that she would do her very best, just like they're practiced. They'd both been nervous wrecks all day. Now it was time to prove themselves. Her friend had put a lot of effort into this show, and she didn't want to let her down.

Backstage at the fashion show, Rainbow Dash was growing more nervous by the second. She knew that Rarity had worked so hard on this... She would really hate it if she were disappointed with the results. Dash definitely didn't want to be the reason. She was so afraid she would screw things up for her friend.

"The show must go on..." She whispered, to keep herself calm before it was her turn to walk out.

"Are you scared?" Rarity asked her, sheepishly.

"Nah, I'll be fine." She was really good at feigning confidence. It was easy to turn it into actual confidence, as she'd learned many years ago. "Listen, Rarity... After the show, there's something I really wanna talk to you about."

"Listen to me Dashie..." That was the sweet little pet name which the Unicorn insisted upon calling her. "You're going to do just fine!"

White lips gently grazed her cheek. Before the she knew what had happened, she realized that Rarity had just kissed her. Okay, sure it wasn't the kind of kiss she really wanted from her... But even that small gesture of affection already had her in so much of a daze that she really didn't care right now.

She was so stunned, she couldn't even say anything. All she did was stand there in a daze, and let her blue cheeks turn bright red.

Before she could react, Rarity was pushing her out onto the stage. "Now get out there! You're amazing!"

And suddenly everyone was staring at her. Bright lights blazed into her face, making her sweat and turn even redder. Rainbow Dash was surprised to see this was a much bigger show than she had somehow thought.

On the very first step she took, her knees felt like they were about to buckle. She felt shaky and weak. The worst part about it was not being able to see anything in front of her. The usually graceful flying pony was afraid she might run into one of the other models on their return walk, or worse fall off the catwalk into the audience. This was her big moment and she just knew she was about to fail.

'I'm gonna fall...'

She was shocked when her hooves landed on solid ground. After taking a few more steps, her eyes started to adjust to the bright stage lighting. It wasn't so bad... Once she got used to it. With newfound confidence, she somehow made her way to the end of the stage.

There were many various "oooh"s and "ahhh"s from the audience over her outfit. Most of which were dressed extravagantly, just as she'd expected. They seemed to love her dress, designed by Rarity herself, along with her beautiful wing support ensemble. So many colors were used, each of them representing part of the rainbow. Her hair was perfectly suited for something like this. Surely the fashion show was going to be a huge success?

Rainbow Dash felt a little out of place, but this was to help her friend. Nothing would stop her from doing this for Rarity. Determined, and with the words of her crush still fresh in her mind from all the rehearsals, she paused for a moment at the end of the walkway. Striking a fierce pose, she then turned on her heel and sauntered away.

For the first time in her life, she actually felt spectacular! Never before had she even worried about beauty or what she looked like. It was just her, and everyone had to look like something. That was more or less how she'd always seen it. Being cool was always so much more important to her than looking pretty. It was a strange feeling for her to actually care about she appeared to others.

Miraculously, she made her way back behind the curtain without a problem. She was used to strutting her stuff in the skies. On the ground was another matter, but it turned out she wasn't so bad at that either.

"You did it! Ohmygosh I'm so proud of you, Rainbow Dash!" The purple curls of the fashion designer's mane bounced around, as she jumped for joy.

The most rewarding part of all was having Rarity say that to her, when she was finished. It was an exhilarating experience. She wouldn't have traded anything in the world for that moment. Or the moment right before she went on stage, when she'd gotten a kiss. Rainbow Dash was smitten. There was no longer any doubt in her mind. And the kicker was that she had no idea how to handle it. She couldn't do anything right now. Her mind was no longer even on the fashion show.

'I kissed her, and now she's kissed me...' Her thoughts made her feel like she was floating on air, even though her hooves were on the ground. 'Things couldn't be better! This is awesome! But where do we go from here?'

She was making her way backstage to take off the outfit. There was no need to ruin all of Rarity's hard work. Her friend still had to see to the rest of the show going off without a hitch. But Rainbow Dash's fashionable new gear had been the highlight of the evening. It was more than just fashion. It was like a new invention. She was in the hall that led to her private dressing room, when something stopped her cold.

"Rainbow Dash?" A really annoying screeching voice echoed down the hall. Then a mare stepped into the light.

The blue Pegasus turned around. "You can't be serious..." Her expression instantly fell flat. This was the last person she wanted to see. Especially here. Especially right now. "Mom?"

Another Pegasus, this time an older stallion, came into the narrow little hall. He avoided some of the other fashion models, as they passed through. They chose to ignore the little scene that was about to unfold. He seemed to have this odd punk-rock quality about him. The light gray stallion cleared his throat.

"Hey, what's up Dashie? Your mom and I thought we'd drop in. See how you've been doing and stuff."

A darker, cobalt blue Pegasus with strands of silver woven through her mane flew gracefully her way, careful not to let her dainty hooves touch the ground. "Your father and I have come to bring you home, dear."

"What?!" Dashie's heart sank right then. Her ears drooped. "I can't... I mean, I have a lot of- Er... I'm busy with stuff a-and... I can't just come home, just like that!"

Mild panic was starting to set in. She didn't know what she could do. I mean, she'd been doing just fine staying with Rarity. And there was no reason that she could think of why she'd have to go home. Her parents had never approved of anything Rainbow Dash had ever done. They didn't understand her need to fit in socially, or what it meant to her to be considered 'cool' amongst her peers. It was painfully obvious that her reputation meant nothing to them.

"Try to calm down," Her father said. He was clearly the more laid back of the two. "It's been a while since we've seen each other. Your Mom's been worried about you. So have I."

"We've been so worried, ever since we heard about your accident!" Her mother was carrying on. "We came as quickly as we could. You're sick, dear. You need to come with us. It's better than being homeless like you are now. You couldn't even reach your house on your own if you tried."

"I'm doing one of the things you used to want for me," She tried to justify the situation. "I'm not homeless. I'm staying with a friend. Besides, my doctor told me I'll be fine soon. And it's not like I spend that much time at my real home anyway."

This was making her really wish Rarity was by her side right now. But her friend was busy with her big fashion debut. Today was something Rainbow Dash would never dream of taking away from Rarity. She couldn't let her know what was going on. There would be no point bringing her down on one of the potentially most important days in her life.

"Your Mom has a point."

That was what her father had always said, that her mother had a good point. And the outcome was never good for Rainbow Dash. An injured Pegasus was supposed to try to find their way back to Cloudsdale... There were certain operations they could do. But how was she supposed to do that when she couldn't fly at all? Her only real friend that could fly was Fluttershy and she really wasn't strong enough to carry another pony on her own.

'It feels like the whole world is working against me.' She thought. 'But I know my stupid family. It'd be way better to just appease them. They're going to get their way, no matter what.'

"Can it at least wait until after the show?" She was sick of arguing with them. "This means a lot to me and my friend."

"Fine," Her elegant mother waved a piece of paper in her face. "But we have a court order to bring you back with us. We'll see you after you remove that ridiculous getup."

"What your mother means is that you don't really have a choice," Her father sounded almost apologetic. "We want you to come home just until you're better. After that you can leave."

Dashie rolled her eyes, slamming the dressing room door in their faces. She locked it from the other side. Quickly changing out of her outfit, the young Pegasus was growing more anxious by the second. She needed to be alone right now, to think. So she wasn't in a hurry to come out.

When she came out, it seemed like the fashion show was already over. Rarity was waiting for her and so were her parents. It made her paranoid. She wondered what they had been talking about, and if they were talking about her or something.

"Your friend Miss Rarity is quite charming," Her mother smiled at her sudden appearance. "But we've got to get moving. Are you ready to go now, dear?"

"Wait, go?" The white unicorn's eyes widened in surprise.

"Yeah... I'm leaving, I guess..." Magenta eyes fell to the ground, dull and empty. "My parents are here to take me home. They have a court order, so I guess I don't have a choice. I have to get my stuff from your house after the show, if that's okay?"

"The fashion show is already over. You were magnificent, Rainbow Dash!" It took her a moment to realize. "...Why are you so sad?"

"To be honest... I don't really want to go."

Her parents looked at one another for a moment. Her father spoke up. "We now you don't want to. But it's what is best for you sweetheart..."

"Well why?" Rarity interrupted. "She shouldn't have to go with you if she really doesn't want to. I don't really see the point in-"

"She is coming with us!" The dark blue mare hissed. "We already have a court order. Straight from Canterlot."

"Oh..."

The fashionista seemed so sad after that. And on her big day, too... Dashie had never felt worse than she did right at that moment. There was no use trying to stand up to her stubborn parents. Rarity looked absolutely crestfallen. And this whole time, the Pegasus had believed that she was being a burden. That was odd.

========================================================

Rainbow Dash was depressed. She barely spoke on the way back to Rarity's boutique. Her parents didn't bother to say anything either. None of them knew what to say. Occasionally Rarity would attempt to start up a conversation, but every time it just fell flat. The chattering woud die down, and then everyone would go back to the somber silence.

'It's official...' The light blue Pegasus thought. 'My life is ruined.'

They made their way into Carousel Boutique, right behind the owner of the premises. Dashie went to her room to get her things like she'd been told. She really didn't want to be in this position right now.

"I'll be right back," The light blue pegasus went into the other room where she'd been staying since her accident. "I have to pack my things and I'll be right out. It might take a little while though. Give me about an hour or so?"

"I really don't know if we have time for this, Rainbow Dash." Her mother seemed annoyed already. "Can't you just come back for it once you're better?"

"But Rarity has so many customers coming in. I wouldn't want to be even more of a burden than I already am."

The white unicorn gave her a look. "Don't say things like that! Having you here has been no trouble at all! Why, it's actually been quite pleasant."

She just stalked out of the room without another word. Saying goodbye to her friend when she was this emotional would not be a good idea right now. But the sentiment was understood.

All of her life she'd been a rebel. It was clear that was something she'd inherited from her father. But Rainbow Dash still knew she had to follow the basic rules of society. And she could not afford to ignore an official order from Canterlot's Royal Court. If she were caught, there would be a huge fine involved, as well as possible jail time.

Right now, as she packed up her belongings, all she could think about was her time with Rarity. It was always fun to hang out with any of her friends. But what she had with Rarity was different. There was never any fighting, just an automatic understanding. Things were so peaceful here. She didn't want to be taken back to Cloudsdale by her parents. That was actually something considered humiliating and not cool at all. She'd be made fun of for months. Her bad-ass reputation might never be able to live this down!

'I've got to figure out a way to get out of here...' She mused.

========================================================

Rarity was busy trying to entertain her new guests. She really didn't want to see Rainbow Dash go, but she didn't see what choice she had. Knowing that someone she cared for so much was about to be made to leave with people she didn't want to be around was tearing her apart on the inside.

Like a good hostess, the unicorn didn't allow anyone to see this side of herself. She'd served Rainbow Dash's parents with tea when they'd arrived. Rarity was someone who prided herself in her self-control and always seemed to be so composed, even under the most dire of circumstances. But this seemed wrong. All of it. That nagging feeling wouldn't let go, and she knew she had to do something to try to convince them to let her stay here. Or at least stall them.

"I don't mean to butt in, but... She's really no bother at all. Dashie's actually been quite the perfect house-guest."

"Regardless of your feelings, she has to come back with us." Her mother was still adamant about the fate of her daughter. "No one has to like it."

Her father was obviously the more lenient of the two. The neutral toned stallion always seemed to have a pleasant expression on his face, no matter what his wife was up to. "Although it would be much nicer if everyone could come to an understanding... Or some sort of agreement over what to do about this-"

He looked to his wife hopefully, but it didn't seem to phase her.

"Speaking of our lovely daughter," The mare sipped her tea gracefully. "It certainly seems to be taking her a long time to pack her things. She's been in that room for at least an hour. Should we see if she's finished yet?"

"I'll go check on her," Rarity took it upon herself to go, since it was her house.

The white unicorn walked into the room. She was horrified. Nothing was there anymore. Most of Rainbow Dash's things had disappeared without a trace. The Pegasus pony was nowhere to be found.

"Where did she go?!" She shrieked. "She's gone!"

"She's gone?" Dash's father didn't seem that surprised.

"What do you mean gone?!" Her mother gasped.

"She just isn't here!" Rarity called to them. "Come and look!"

They entered the room to see a completely frantic fashionista darting about. Rarity was bucking wildly. She was close to a state of panic. They searched the room briefly. It wasn't long before both the young filly and the older mare were in that state. Rainbow Dash's mother was panicked that her only daughter had gone missing.

"Now calm down honey..." The gray Pegasus rubbed her shoulders, trying to relax her. "We'll find her. She can't have gone too far. Probably trying to run away. I'm sure it'll all be alright."

"Alright? ...Alright?!" His wife was throwing a tantrum. "How can you say that?! We've got to find her! She has to come with us by tomorrow, no exceptions!"

Rarity didn't like this one bit. She felt her stomach sink, almost instantly. "I'll gather some of our friends, and see what I can find out. They might have seen her..."

She left the Boutique without even another word to them. Right now, Dashie's parents didn't matter to her. It was the safety of her friend that did. The sky-blue Pegasus that meant so much to her could be in danger. The only thought in her head was that she had to do act fast, before Rainbow got too far away.

========================================================

She knew that she was making good time...

It had been almost two days since Rainbow Dash had fled from the comfort of her friend's house. With only an hour's head start, she'd made sure to double her pace every hour or so, to put some nice distance between her parents and herself. The young filly knew all too well that her mother and father weren't what they used to be.

'No one can keep up with me,' She smiled to herself. 'Not even them. Soon I'll be free to do what I want.'

She was in some kind of rocky area right now. She was working her way up the side of an enormous mountain. She couldn't fly. She was injured anyway, but even if her wings weren't broken, she still would not have been able to. The skies were the first place everypony would look for a runaway Pegasus. Especially her. Luckily for Rainbow Dash, she hadn't run into anyone that she knew yet. She'd gotten out of Ponyville in less than the hour it would likely have taken them to realize she'd left. It was such a small town. And she'd only stopped once to sleep while she was traveling.

But this was still Equestria. There were other ponies along the way. Maybe even some of them from Ponyville. Thankfully, none of them happened to know Dashie well enough to realize she'd run away or report it back to her friends. She was far enough away from her hometown that they would never notice the missing posters, if there were any, until it was too late.

If she'd navigated correctly, then she was well on her way to Canterlot by now. Maybe another week of travel and she could make it. But she had to keep moving fast. That was the hard part. Her injuries were starting to get worse from wear. And Rarity wasn't here to change her bandages...

She really missed Rarity.

Not paying much attention, she eventually came to a large indentation in the rock ledge she was walking across. She needed a safe place to rest, and hoped that might be it. The injured pony heard a chilling sound come out of the cave. It was a howl.

'Oh man!' Her body involuntarily shivered. 'Werewolves! I've got to get out of here! Fast!'

Backing away, she gently treaded past the opening. No one was with her and nopony knew where she was... This could end badly for Rainbow Dash if something were to attack her. She couldn't even fly away!

But she had to do this for her own reasons. No one was going to tell her where she could and could not stay. Or what she couldn't do. Rarity had been nothing but kind to her, and even wanted her to stay. She felt like her parents were being completely unfair. It was her goal to make it to Canterlot herself and have that document reversed. It would be okay if they caught up with her after that. Welcome, even. But she doubted anyone would actually follow her that far.

She heard another howling sound come out of the dark cave. Backing away, she was getting ready to turn the corner when she backed into something solid. Her hoof landed on something soft and furry. Looking up, she saw that it was a paw! A scary, wolf paw. And she'd backed right into the beast that owned it.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" She blurted out. "Did I hurt you?"

It snarled at her.

"I was just making my way to uh... Canterlot. Ever heard of it? Nice place. You should go there sometime. I mean, not that you would or anything but uh..."

It growled, taking a step closer and looming over her angrily. Glowing red eyes peered into her own, menacingly.

"So anyway I should really be going now. Bye!"

She dashed down the path, back to the bottom of the mountain. There was no way to get past a werewolf. It chased her all the way down. Dashie almost jumped off a cliff, but then she remembered that she couldn't even fly if she wanted to... And right now she desperately did!

A shadow covered her entire body. Rainbow Dash gasped as something swooped down to grab her. Whatever it was took her to the other side of the mountain before releasing her. The trembling pony cowered beneath the creature that had captured her. If it were a griffin, she would be done for. It was rumored that wild griffins had no qualms about eating ponies. She just knew it was going to eat her, or something worse...

No sooner had her feet touched the ground, than Rainbow Dash knew she was in trouble. It was worse than predicted. But at least she was in a safe place, away from that werewolf.

"Young filly, where have you been?!" The cerulean mare instantly began ranting and raving, much to Rainbow Dash's dismay.

'Oh, it is so much worse. It's Mom.' She was unable to stop her eyes from automatically rolling back in her head sarcastically.

"And don't you roll your eyes at me! We have been looking everywhere! You ran away when we were trying to help you for your own good! You were almost killed by wolves, and if I hadn't saved you just now, then I don't even want to think of what might have happened!"

"Calm down," Her father showed up a moment later. "It's going to be alright. No need to fret."

"Both of you just stop it!" Dash yelled. "I can't take it anymore! This is what happens every single time!"

They both looked surprised by her sudden outburst. Though in all fairness, they probably shouldn't have been. She did just go through all of this to get away from them, after all.

Magenta eyes glinted with fury as she went on. "I've gone through all of this just to get away from you! How dare you follow me here!"

Her father looked at the ground, pawing at it with one hoof. "Dashie... You'll always be our little girl. No matter what life throws at you."

"You're coming straight home with us, young filly!"

"You found her?" A voice called out. Rarity trotted up the side of the hill. "Oh, Rainbow Dash we were all so worried about you!"

She ran to her friend and gave her a hug, making her blush. It was funny how a simple hug from Rarity could make her forget all of her problems instantly.

Twilight Sparkle and Spike were next to come up, followed by the rest of the gang. They all seemed really tired, with the exception of Pinkie Pie, who was bouncing around happily in circles the entire time.

"Doesn't anypony even care why I ran away?"

"Of course we care!" Applejack chimed in, with her two cents. "We were just really worried about ya! I ran away once too, ya know."

"Oh yes..." Fluttershy added. "You're our friend and we couldn't stand to lose you."

Pinkie Pie bounded over to where she was. "It's awfully boring without you around, you know! What if I'd decided to throw a party for you? And you weren't even there? What then, Rainbow Dash?! HUH?! What then?!"

She got right in her face, eying her closely, only to be pushed away with a slight smile from the Pegasus.

"Plus, we actually missed you a lot!" Even Spike seemed happy to see her.

"We sure did," Twilight Sparkle finished. "You had everypony really worried. Don't ever do that again."

Dashie was so grateful to have all of her friends here right now. But that didn't stop her from saying what she was about to say. It wasn't like she'd just run away from everything for no reason.

"My parents are trying to force me to live with them until my wings are healed. And I really don't wanna go! I don't see why I should have to," She gritted her teeth at her mother, who seemed to shrink back a little. "And I don't see why anyone bothered to come after me. I was doing just fine on my own!"

"Dashie..." Rarity came to her side. She looked really concerned. "Where were you going?"

"To Canterlot. I have to get this whole mess straightened out..." She glared at her mother, accusingly. "I was really happy staying where I was! But you didn't give me a choice! It should be up to me whether I want to go with you or not. And the way you just came in and took over, I never even got a chance to tell you how I felt! That isn't fair."

The mare looked at her husband. She wasn't sure what to think, at this point.

Rainbow Dash's father nodded slightly. "We really didn't give her a choice. I know how bad that can be. But we were only looking out for our daughter's safety."

"Rainbow Dash..." Her mother was still speaking in that overly authoritative tone she always used. Then she became more gentle. "Would you like to stay with us until you're better?"

"The truth is... No. I was really happy right where I was. With Rarity."

A faint glowing blush could be seen on the white unicorn's cheeks. All of their friends surrounded them. Twilight Sparkle was standing at the edge of the hill, with Spike perched on her back. Fluttershy was sitting demurely off to one side, trying not to be noticed too much. Applejack was right up front where the action was. Rarity was still by her side; she hadn't moved. Even Pinkie Pie had stopped her endless hopping to see what was going on.

"If it means that much to you..." Her mother sighed, knowing she was defeated. "I suppose you may stay with your friend."

The Pegasus continued... "I'm not done. In fact I've never been happier in my entire life than I was with Rarity! But it seemed like all anypony wanted to do was screw it up for me! And you want the truth?! The truth is... I love you, Rarity!"

They all felt bad. Rarity didn't seem to react at all. No one said a thing, until Fluttershy finally spoke up several minutes later.

"Well... What matters is that everything worked out in the end. R-right?" Pretty emerald eyes fluttered several times.

"Not exactly," Dashie lectured her. "My family hates me and they tried to tear me away from the one person that I thought understood me... And now everything is all messed up and-"

"We'll just... Be going home," Her Mom said. "Out of your hair from now on. If that's the way you really want it... Then okay. Take care of yourself dear." She gently kissed her forehead before flying away toward the clouds.

"What is with everyone kissing me today?" Dashie wondered out loud.

"Give here some time, she'll come around." Dashie's father gave her a quick hug. Then he turned to Rarity. "Whatever happens, you both have my blessings. Get her back to Ponyville safely."

Rarity nodded. "I most certainly will. All of us will see to it that no harm comes to her."

He followed his wife back toward Cloudsdale with haste. Rainbow Dash wasn't sad to see them go. She'd been through a lot and just felt like collapsing right then.

"I have an idea... I could write a letter to the Princess for you?" Twilight offered. "I could explain to her everything that's just happened and see what can be done about the papers your parents had drawn up."

"You'd really do that for me?"

"Please. It's the least I can do." The purple unicorn turned to her young dragon companion. "Spike, take a letter. Dear Princess Celestia..." She rambled off the simple request for the papers to be declared null and void.

Spike did what he was asked. He jotted everything down before sending off the letter. Dash felt comfortable that it would all be taken care of.

"We should really start headin' home now," Applejack reasoned. She'd already started going that way.

"Yes, we've got a long journey ahead of us," Rarity agreed, walking up to Rainbow Dash. "But first... Do you need me to change your bandages for you, my dear?"

Dashie could feel herself blushing a little. "Yeah, actually... I'm sure it would be more comfortable on the way back. If it's not too much trouble."

"No problem at all! We brought the supplies with us."

Rarity rummaged through a bag that Applejack had been carrying. Of course she didn't want to have to do any manual labor, but... If it was for her friend, she would. Had AppleJack not been there, she would have carried all of it herself. Carefully, she changed the dirty white bandages for a pretty rainbow leopard print.

"Alright, let's go." Rainbow Dash led the way back toward Ponyville.

Everyone else nodded in agreement and followed her. It was almost dark, and soon the werewolves would be out, anyway. She was probably the best with directions. Next to Twilight Sparkle, who had studied countless maps of the region. They took turns leading the way back.

Rarity was barely talking to Rainbow Dash the whole trip. As of right now, it was killing her inside not knowing exactly where she stood with the object of her affections. A million things were running through her head.

She wanted to know if the beautiful delicate unicorn had been offended by anything her parents had said. She wanted to know how Rarity felt about her. She wondered if she was still even welcome to stay at her house. If all else failed, she knew she could always stay with Fluttershy if she really needed to.

She felt a little bit guilty about what she'd done. This trip had inconvenienced everyone. But in the end, she'd learned a lot of valuable lessons. The worst thing of all was learning patience. Now Dashie would have to wait until they got back to the Boutique and were able to actually be alone, before she could talk to Rarity and get any of this sorted out. It would take them two days to make it all the way back, at least. She didn't even understand how they'd caught up with her so quickly. But she was used to flying, not walking. And she was injured, so maybe that was it.

Everyone passed the time with idle chitchat while they walked. Nothing went wrong until it was time to go to sleep. Rainbow Dash felt so out of sorts... She kind of wanted to be alone, and normally she would sleep in a tree or something. The ground wasn't really her thing. So she did the only thing she could, and curled up on the ground. The others slept nearby for safety. She wanted to cuddle with Rarity, but she didn't feel safe giving in to those urges right now.

It took them just under three days to make it back to Ponyville. The journey wasn't a bad one at all, considering she was with her friends this time around. And she had a lot less weighing on her mind than before. Luckily Pinkie Pie had the forethought to bring snacks and drinks for all of them...

Everyone went their separate ways as soon as they got back. They were all exhausted from traveling so much, not to mention being behind with their work.

========================================================

"S-so... Uh..." When they finally made it home, Rainbow Dash made an effort to talk to her crush.

"Yes?" Rarity batted her eyes at the blue pony next to her.

"I was wondering um... are you... Well are you upset with me?"

"No. Why would I be?"

Rainbow Dash was at a loss. She had no idea what to say. "I cost you a lot of time and headache... I'm sorry. I probably embarrassed you in front of everyone too. I'll just go stay with Fluttershy or someone, if you want."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Purple curls fell into Dashie's face, as the unicorn rested her forehead there. "I love you too. I simply thought you knew that."

She kissed Rainbow Dash then. Hard, rough and passionate. Something one wouldn't think Rarity capable of... Her lips were so soft. Dashie was in a dreamlike state the whole time. Gently, she swept her tongue into the unicorn's mouth. The other filly seemed delighted by this, and returned the gesture, licking at her tongue eagerly. When they broke apart, Dashie couldn't resist giving her a quick light kiss on her cheek as well.

Strangely, she didn't blush. She felt so comfortable now that she knew her feelings were returned. And it was so eays for her to be comfortable around Rarity.

"You can stay here as long as you would like," Rarity panted, a little out of breath from their passionate kiss. "Until you're all healed up. And then you're free to visit whenever you wish to."

Rainbow Dash smiled. "You're so awesome, Rarity." She was feeling better already.

"I think you're awesome too."

-The End-

========================================================

Author's Note: Okay, that's my first MLP fanfic. I hope it wasn't too horrible. The story is technically complete as of this chapter. But chapter 2 will be a small clop scene. That is extra and it IS part of the story, but the plot pretty much stops here. Thanks for reading!

-k.R.