A Skip and a Dash

The skies were just beginning to get dark and the windows of Sugarcube Corner were lit up. Inside the house, ponies, balloons and laughter filled the room. Pinkie Pie was bouncing around saying ‘hi!’ to every new pony she saw. She would also set off a party popper every now and then. Twilight was standing with Applejack at the side of the room, giggling at the annoyed ponies that had just been sprinkled with confetti.

“Heehee, oopsie!” Pinkie Pie squeaked,  hopping away like a kangaroo.

Twilight and Applejack were so used to the antics of their cheery friend that they simply exchanged smiles and chuckled. An irritated stallion brushed the confetti off his head.

The atmosphere was still cheery when Rainbow Dash arrived. The door had been left open so she could wander inside, and before she had a chance to look around, she was met with a tight hug from Pinkie Pie.

“Dashie, you made it!” the pink pony squealed, her arms squeezing the baffled Pegasus.

“Err yeah…hi, Pinkie.” Rainbow said awkwardly, running low on breath.

She sucked in a breath when Pinkie Pie finally let go of her and bounced away. Looking around her, she spotted her five friends dotted in the large crowd of ponies. Fluttershy was sitting silently in a corner, her eyes nervously swivelling around the room. Pinkie Pie was leading a conga line down the room, each pony behind her grinning. Rarity was wearing a fabulous party gown of course. She was speaking to a few colts, but took care to keep her dress away from any risk of damage.

At this point, Rainbow Dash had forgotten about Blazedart. She just happily trotted over to Twilight and Applejack ready to spend some time with her friends. This was going to be great.

“So, Rainbow.” Applejack said to her, whipping her hoof around her and giving her a friendly squeeze, “Been socialisin’ at all? Or are you just too nervous for that?”

“Nervous?” Rainbow said, ducking out from underneath Applejack’s arm, “I am NOT nervous. I’m never nervous!”

“Well, I’m so glad that Pinkie Pie has decided to throw this celebration.” Twilight said with a calm smile, “It’ll make all the newcomers feel so welcome here, as I know THEY will be nervous.”

“Are you guys excited?”

The three of them weren’t surprised when they heard Pinkie’s giddy voice toddle up to them.

“I’m so excited, I’ve never been so excited! Well, maybe I HAVE been before but this is still so exciting because we’re going to be really popular when we make all these new friends and maybe they’ll all come to more of my parties and I’ll know everypony around here! Hi!”

She waved her hoof frantically in front of a mare that was walking past the four of them. The mare looked surprised at first, but then smiled politely at Pinkie Pie. Pinkie grinned a huge grin and darted off.

Twilight flashed a smile at the brown pony.

“We are so happy to have you here.” she said courteously.

The brown mare replied with a small smile and trotted off to eat something from the long table of treats. Rarity was staying well back from all the crumb covered plates and ponies with food in their mouths.

Rainbow Dash felt rather sorry for Fluttershy, who was staying out of all the action in her corner; her pretty teal eyes were full of apprehension as she looked around at the large crowd surrounding her.

But then, a sudden tinge of shock jumped in Rainbow Dash’s stomach as she recognised the pony that walked up to Fluttershy.

It was Blazedart, and he gave her a comforting smile. “Hello.”

“Um…hell…o…”

Fluttershy’s voice was merely a mumble as she spoke. She wasn’t looking Blazedart in the eyes.

“I’m Blazedart. Do you wanna come out and have a chat with everypony?”

When Fluttershy hesitated, Blazedart chuckled.

“It’s all right!” he sniggered, “I won’t bite.”

The nerves were fading from Fluttershy’s eyes. Twilight, Rainbow and Applejack were watching the scene as the shy Pegasus got to her feet slowly. She smiled at the colt next to her.

“Thanks…B-Blazedart…” she murmured, “I’m Fluttershy…”

“Nice to meet you, Fluttershy.”

He then turned his attention to Twilight, Applejack and Rainbow Dash. Twilight and Applejack were grinning happily at him while Rainbow just frowned at him.

“Oh hello, Twilight Sparkle.” Blazedart said, smiling at Twilight.

“Hi again.” Twilight said, her voice sounding slightly timid, “Glad to see you could make it, Blazedart.”

“I take it these are your friends?” he asked, looking around at the ponies surrounding Twilight, now including a giddy faced Pinkie Pie.

“Yes,” said Twilight enthusiastically, “well. You’ve just met my friend Fluttershy.”

Fluttershy cowered a little from the mention of her name. “Hi guys…” she murmured, “Sorry I’ve been so…reserved. I get so nervous in big crowds.”

“Ahh, don’t worry ‘bout it, sugarcube.” Applejack said to her, and then looked up at Blazedart.

“How ya doin’? I’m Applejack.”

“Hi, Applejack.”

“And I’m Pinkie Pie!”

The colt smirked at the excitement in her voice. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Pinkie Pie.”

“You have?!” Pinkie gasped.

She did a little bounce in the air, her hooves waggling up and down.

As her friends continued to talk to Blazedart, Rainbow Dash stood sulking in the background. She didn’t like the way her friends were giving him so much attention and leaving her out. It felt strange…SHE was normally the Pegasus that everypony talked about, not some colt that had only just arrived in Ponyville.

Trying not to let the jealousy get to her, she turned away from the scene and wandered over to the food table.

There were a few Pegasi that she recognized from Cloudsdale so Rainbow didn’t feel too lonely. While chewing on several sandwiches and having an odd chat with a cross eyed Pegasus called Derpy, her eyes would often glance over to her friends.

One minute, Pinkie Pie was tying a blindfold around Blazedart’s face so he could pin the tail on the mule. The next minute, he was in deep conversation with Twilight Sparkle and Applejack. He was always very pleasant with Fluttershy, and Rainbow noticed that the normally nervous Pegasus had a comfortable, happy look in her eyes.

“Rainbow Dash, darling. Are you all right?”

Rarity stepped up to Rainbow, still in her glistening party outfit.

“Hey, Rarity. Yeah, I’m fine. Met any new ponies yet?”

“Well, I HAVE been socializing with several newcomers that share my fashion interests.” she said in her classy manner, “But I tend to stay out of all the ruffian party games. Anyway never mind me. What about you, Rainbow Dash? Don’t you want to spend some time with the others?”

Rainbow’s smile changed to an awkward expression. Her eyes swept over to her friends again, where Twilight was laughing with Blazedart and Pinkie Pie was tying blindfolds around strangers so they could also pin the tail on the mule.

“Errr…” Rainbow said, sliding a hoof across the floor awkwardly, “I was. And I’ve had a great time and all. But I’m done with making new friends for today. In fact…”

She looked out of the window at the darkening skies.

“It’s getting pretty late. I should probably head off now. Weather duty calls.”

“All right then, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity said to her politely, “I’ll let the others know where you are. But now I think I should say hello to that colt over there. Twilight has been talking to him an awful lot.”

Rainbow Dash heaved an irritated sigh as Rarity headed over to where Blazedart was. What was it that her friends liked so much about him? She wasn’t going to worry about them any longer.

She headed out of the door into the dim evening. As she looked up at the sky, she was rather shocked to see that it was covered with clouds. She decided she would go up there and tidy it all up before going home. It would help her take her mind off things.

“Nice to see you again.”

She jumped at the voice from behind her. She turned her head around to see Blazedart standing there, smiling in a friendly but mischievous way.

“Ugh…”

She rolled her eyes and looked away, irritably.

“You have some very nice friends, Rainbow Dash.” Blazedart said to her.

“Yeah, I do…” Rainbow said, glaring at him, “And they’re MY friends.”

“Oh…!” Blazedart chuckled.

He had a look of realization and slight embarrassment in his cobalt coloured eyes.

“I don’t want you to think I’m intruding or anything.” he said with a smile, “It was your friends who invited me to the party, not me.”

“Yeah well…you were lucky that time. And we have good views on friendship since we’re the Elements of Harmony.”

Blazedart’s eyes looked stunned for a second. “Wait a minute…did you say the Elements of Harmony?”

“Sure did.” Rainbow said, turning her body around to face him, “Me, Twilight, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack and Fluttershy all represent the Elements of Harmony. That’s how we saved Equestria from Nightmare Moon and Discord.”

“Wow…the Elements of Harmony…” Blazedart said, staring at the ground with an astounded face, “That’s pretty impressive. And what element do you represent?”

“The Element of Loyalty.” said Rainbow Dash, a proud smile on her face, “I’d never abandon my friends for anything.”

“Well, that’s a good trait to have. I’m sure your friends adore you for that.”

Rainbow paused, not quite knowing what to say to that.

“Uh…yeah, I suppose…they do?” she said, her forelegs fidgeting awkwardly.

“I definitely like you for it.”

For some odd reason, Rainbow felt an unusual sharp tingle in her stomach. She bit her lip, as a small smile spread across her face.

“Are you up for showing me more of your acrobatics tomorrow?” Blazedart asked her, “I’d love to see what else you can do.”

“Um…yeah okay…”

“So I’ll see you tomorrow then?”

“See ya tomorrow, Blazedart.”

Before she could fly off, Blazedart said, “Hey, you don’t have to call me Blazedart. It’s a bit of a mouthful. You can call me Blaze if you want to.”

Rainbow shot him a friendly grin. “Okay, Blaze. You can call me Rainbow.”

He returned her smile. “All right then. See you tomorrow, Rainbow.”

And with her smug grin, Rainbow Dash fired into the evening sky.

The brown Pegasus colt trotted up to a nearby pond. He concentrated on the water as it rippled in the evening breeze, until he heard a male voice.

“Blazedart.” it echoed into his ears, “How are you getting on?”

“Pretty well…”Blazedart said, his voice quite nervous, “I’ve found out a lot.”

“Good.” the voice continued, “Well, don’t spend all your time messing around. We’re counting on you, Blaze.”

“Yes…I-I know…”

As the voice disappeared, the stallion trotted back the way he came, his eyes full of worry...