On your doorstep, in the rain
Rainbow Dash lay on her couch, listening to the rain drumming on her windows. She'd had plans for the afternoon, but the unexpected downpour had cancelled them all. Now it was getting late, and she was just thinking she should probably get an early night, when she heard a knock at the door.
She sat up. She wasn't expecting anyone — least of all in this weather, at this time of evening — but if someone was out there, it had to be urgent, right?
Rainbow had moved out of her parents' house and into her own place a few months ago. While she loved her parents, they could just be… too much, sometimes. She needed her own space.
She got up, and went to answer the door, touching one hand to her geode just to confirm its presence. She doubted there was any danger, but it didn't hurt to have a failsafe.
She opened the door, to reveal a Dazzling. That is, one of The Dazzlings, or at least that's what the band had called themselves last time they had met. An Equestrian Siren, in human form. Not Adagio Dazzle, their leader. Not the ditzy blue one either — this was the moody pink one with purple hair. Hair which was currently weighed down with dripping water, clinging to the sides of the girl's face — a face marred by a black eye. She had an oversized rucksack full of somethings on her back. She glared angrily at Rainbow Dash.
“I need a place to crash,” the girl announced.
“Huh?”
“Are you gonna keep me out here in the rain? It's pissing down out here, let me in!”
Rainbow took a step back out of confusion, and the girl pushed past her, unslinging her pack as she went, dripping rainwater everywhere. Rainbow recovered from the initial shock, and rounded on the girl intent on demanding an explanation. The other girl spoke first, though.
“Close the damn door already!”
Rainbow complied, only because it was the sensible thing to do.
“…and grab me a towel or something.” The Dazzling had already discarded her jacket and was now in the process of removing her top.
“Whoah!” Rainbow darted forward, “what're you doing?”
“I'm not gonna sit around in these soaking clothes. Get me a towel.”
“But…” Rainbow looked down. It was true that the girl's top was soaked, to the point where her bra underneath was clearly visible. And while she was an uninvited guest, there was nothing to be gained by making her stand around in soaking wet clothing. They could discuss the intrusion after she'd dried off a bit. Rainbow ran off to grab a towel and a bathrobe.
By the time she got back, the girl had already stripped down to her underwear. Rainbow held up the items while averting her gaze. The girl wrapped herself up in them.
“So uh…” Rainbow began.
“My stuff's all gonna be damp, too. You got some of those racks you put in front of heaters?”
“Over there.”
“Oh yeah. You wanna help me hang my stuff up, or you just gonna hang around and watch?”
“Wait, hold on,” interjected Rainbow Dash, “you're saying you wanna stay here tonight?”
“No, I'm saying I need to. Unless you're gonna throw me out into the rain so I can freeze to death?”
“Well, no, but…” Rainbow slowly processed that she had, by implication, just agreed to let this girl stay over. “I mean, I don't even know your name!”
“It's Aria, Aria Blaze. Now, you gonna help me with these or not?” Aria opened her bag and pulled out a handful of damp clothes.
“Uh… sure,” answered Rainbow, taking the proffered garments. There were still any number of objections she could raise, but when you got down to it, Rainbow Dash wasn't about to turn the already injured and drenched girl out into the cold, wet, night. Not if she didn't have anywhere else to go. She resigned herself to putting up with Aria for tonight — she could worry about any implications in the morning. “Mine's Rainbow Dash.”
“Yeah, I got that.”
The two girls hung up clothing in silence, while Rainbow Dash contemplated her next words.
“I guess… uh, you could sleep on the couch?”
Aria paused as if considering other options, and stared at Rainbow a moment or two before replying.
“Yeah, whatever.” She shrugged. “You got any video games?”
Rainbow blinked, then grinned.
“Uh, yeah… a few…”
… “a few” games later, Rainbow Dash had all but forgotten her previous reservations.
“Aw come on! That was a cheap move. Rematch!”
“Dash,” replied Aria, “it's past midnight already. Don't you have school or something tomorrow?”
“It's Saturday.”
“Is it? Okay, well, that makes it Sunday. Go to bed.”
“Just one more game.”
“Dude just admit that you suck already.”
“But I don't! I'm awesome at this! I know I am, you just… you just got lucky.”
Aria groaned. “Look, I've been kicking ass at these games since before you were born.” She frowned. “I mean, when did Mortal Melee first come out?”
“The first one? I dunno… I guess you really are kinda old, though.”
“Go to bed, let me sleep, I'll teach you a few tricks in the morning.”
“Really? Sweet! I mean, not that I need it, but…”
“Dash, piss off already. The games will still be here tomorrow… later today, whatever.”
“Okay, right.” Rainbow got up and headed for the stairs. “Hey, can you teach me Zero Chill's ice dunk? 'Cause that move's totally—”
“Bed!”
Somewhere between the foot of the stairs and her own bed, Rainbow Dash's heart sank a little. She remembered that Aria Blaze was a soul-sucking seamonster in human form, who had cast a mind-control spell on the whole school and tried to take over the world. Even if they had just spent a few enjoyable hours playing extremely violent video games, it didn't mean the (former?) Dazzling could be trusted, and it wasn't like having her sleep here had been Rainbow's idea.
As she climbed into bed, she resolved not to sleep tonight. She could just rest a bit and pretend to sleep, while listening out for any suspicious noises from downstairs. And if Aria tried anything, Rainbow Dash would…
Rainbow Dash was asleep before she could finish that thought. Downstairs, Aria Blaze sat on the couch, sending someone a text message before settling herself down to sleep.
Rainbow Dash woke up confused — the blaring noise that woke her was an alarm, but not her alarm clock. While she was puzzling over this, she noticed an odd burning smell. Coupled with the recognition of her fire alarm, this got her out of bed quickly.
Hurrying downstairs in her pajamas and dressing gown, she found Aria standing on a chair in her living room, already full dressed and glaring angrily at the smoke detector, jabbing the only button repeatedly.
“What?” called Rainbow Dash over the noise.
Aria turned to her. “Dash!” she yelled, “tell your stupid box to shut up!”
The kitchen door was open, and the burning smell had subtle undertones of cooking. Given the lack of visible flames, Rainbow Dash opted to work on the premise that her house wasn't on fire, at least for now.
“Open the windows and shut the door,” she groaned. “It'll stop on its own.”
Working together to ventilate the living room, the two girls shut themselves in the kitchen together, where Rainbow Dash cast her gaze over the evidence of a very messy cooking attempt.
“I made pancakes,” Aria alleged. A plate on the table did indeed hold a tower of pancake-shaped objects.
“Sweet,” responded Rainbow Dash, grabbing a plate of her own and moving to the table.
Aria lunged forward, menacingly close to Rainbow Dash with a cold expression. “I made myself pancakes,” she said pointedly, snatching up a spatula and thrusting it into the stack a little over halfway up with a single swift motion. Before Rainbow Dash could react, Aria had flipped most of the top half onto Rainbow's plate. “…but fine. I'll let you have those ones, but don't go trying to nab any more off my plate — if you want more you can make them yourself.”
“Uh… cool…” answered Rainbow, “I mean… you don't have to share, if you don't want to.” She chose to overlook that the pancakes had been made with her ingredients and utensils, which Aria had helped herself to. Right now, Rainbow didn't feel like picking a fight.
Aria seemed thrown off balance by this. “Oh… right. Well, I made too many anyway, you may as well have those.” She took a seat, and hunched forward over her plate, elbows planted firmly either side.
Rainbow Dash joined her, though in a more relaxed pose. She lifted the first pancake-shaped object to her mouth, and only hesitated slightly before taking a bite. It wasn't actually that bad — a little crunchier than she'd expected, but not nearly as burnt-tasting.
Aria was watching her intently, while munching away on her own helping. After the first mouthful, Rainbow felt compelled to try and make conversation.
“So, uh, how's your eye this morning?”
Aria tilted her head and squinted at Rainbow suspiciously. “What's it to you?” she shot back.
“Oh, uh, I was just trying to be nice.”
“Well you don't have to be.”
“I wasn't doing it because I have to.”
“So… what, you enjoy sticking your nose in other people's business.”
“You know what? Never mind. I hope your eye's feeling better. Thank you for the pancakes. We can stop talking now.”
Rainbow Dash was confused. Aria hadn't been nearly this angry or aggressive last night — maybe she just wasn't a morning person? Either way, the two continued to eat in silence, Aria shifting uncomfortably and relaxing back to a more natural sitting position over time.
…
They finished the pancakes.
…
Rainbow Dash was once again the first to break the silence.
“Okay, but do you know where you're gonna sleep tonight?”
Aria shrugged. “Meh, not yet, I figure I'll go out this afternoon and find myself a job and somewhere to stay.”
“This afternoon.”
“Yeah, any pointers?”
“Have you… ever looked for a job before?”
“No, but how hard can it be?”
“Uh… it normally takes more than a few hours.”
“Uh-huh. So, how long?”
“A few weeks… maybe months?”
Aria processed this. “Dammit, really? That sucks. Where am I supposed to sleep until then?”
“Not here,” said Rainbow. “I mean, I totally would let you,” she lied, “but my landlord's super uptight about that stuff.”
“How about your friends?”
“…I'll ask them, but we might still need to find you a hostel, or something — do you have any money?”
“Yeah, but it's not gonna last long if I keep spending it. You talk to your friends, and I'll talk to your landlord.”
“You'll what now?”
“Well if he agrees to let me stay here, there's no problem, right?”
Rainbow Dash weighed up her options. She really didn't want Aria staying with her indefinitely, and Aria's rudeness probably wouldn't help her get a job anytime soon… but telling Aria she wasn't welcome might push her into becoming homeless and friendless, and Rainbow Dash knew she'd end up feeling guilty and regretful if that happened. Almost certainly, her landlord would refuse. Rainbow Dash was, like, ninety-nine percent certain of that.
“Sure. No problem. If he agrees to it, you can stay here as long as you need to, until we find you a job and a place of your own. Just don't get your hopes up, okay? Like I said, he's super uptight.”
By lunchtime, Rainbow Dash had two more guests over, and two questions plaguing her thoughts.
The guests were Applejack and Sunset Shimmer. Applejack had offered to let Aria stay at her place for a while, and Sunset had offered to help with the job-hunting. On the way over, Sunset had seemed really excited, describing what a great opportunity she thought this was to introduce Aria what might be her first real friendships. Applejack had been less keen on the idea.
The first question Rainbow Dash had, was whether she could have handled this situation better. Perhaps if she'd been more forthright from the start, things would have turned out differently. Perhaps it wasn't too late to speak up.
As for the second question…
“Do I even want to know?”
“What now?”
“My landlord. You… ‘persuaded’ him. Do I even want to know how?”
“How should I know what you want?”
Rainbow Dash stared at Aria. Aria Blaze stared her right back down. Rainbow folded first. She cupped her face in her hands, and took a steadying breath. Applejack didn't really want Aria around either. None of the other girls could take her in, unless Aria “persuaded” their parents or landlords — which Rainbow Dash really didn't want to think about.
And besides… it's not as if she disliked Aria Blaze, as such. The former Dazzling actually seemed… pretty cool, when you got down to it. Not to mention…
Rainbow shook her head. The girl was obnoxious — self-centered and possibly still evil.
“Well I guess that's settled then,” said Aria. “No point moving my stuff when I can just crash here. I guess you both turned up for nothing.”
“Well, I can still help you find a job,” grinned Sunset.
“Yeah, but I just spent all morning sorting out this landlord thing, I need a break. Lemme just chill out for a bit then grab some lunch, we can sort out that seevee thing after.”
Sunset frowned uncertainly, and turned to Rainbow Dash.
I'm doomed, thought Rainbow.
“Hey Dash, c'mon. I said I'd teach you a few moves, didn't I?”
Despite herself, Rainbow perked up. It could be worse.
