Where You Belong

by Jhoira

Rating: everyone
Tags: Autumn Blaze, Alternate Universe, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Rainbow Dash, Romance
Length: 9090

Rainbow Dash meets a stranger, and both their lives change.

Rainbow Dash crashes and is tended to by a mysterious stranger. A mysterious stranger that is still watching over her but refuses to show themselves. That doesn't mean that Rainbow Dash is going to be content sitting and waiting for her wing to heal.

Written for May Pairing Contest 2020, yay! Go join it!

More of my weirdness because each chapter is exactly 1k words.

Published 2020-05-03 13:10:01 UTC
Last updated 2020-05-11 09:55:59 UTC

Crash

Rainbow Dash cursed loudly as she crashed through the branches of the large tree. Unfortunately, the last branch didn't break. The branch was thick and sturdy enough to knock the wind out of the rainbow pony, and she heard something crack. With a low groan, she slipped off the branch. Falling to the springy, grassy, and leaf-strewn, ground. That would have been far better than the hard wood and bark of the tree branch she had hit first. Closing her eyes Rainbow Dash as she groaned again. She's seen a lot of crashes, and that had been a bad one. She knew she should try to get up, as she slipped into unconsciousness.

Rainbow Dash gasped loudly as she awoke. Looking around she found herself in a nice little room. On a bed. Light filtering in from a nearby opening. She was alone but she looked down to see that she had been bandaged. For some reason, the room reminded her of Twilight's library. She wasn't sure why, there were no books around. She reached down with her hooves and gently prodded at her covered injuries. Wincing as she felt the massive bruise under the bandages. She was gratified to feel that her ribs seemed to be intact. She was completely certain that she'd heard something crack. Apparently, whoever had found her had healing powers, that meant unicorns.

Rainbow Dash was unable to stop herself from snickering as she thought of the two unicorns she knew. Twilight would be useful for bandaging her up and healing but not for trying to find their way in the forest. The mare would be so busy trying to find what to do in a book they'd get lost without even moving. And Rarity would no doubt be busy wailing about the dirt and filth all around her.

Rainbow Dash got up and looked about the small area, noticing something very odd about the bed. It wasn't a bed, it seemed to be abnormally soft wood. And the blankets were seemingly knitted together river reeds. Looking down at the bandages over her barrel, she saw they were actually leaves. If she didn't know better she'd have suspected Zecora, but this wasn't the Everfree Forest.

Rainbow Dash spent a moment looking for a door and missing the obvious. A sizeable hole in the wall was simply open, shielded by branches and leaves. She'd at first mistaken it for a window but apparently it was the door, and the room had no windows. Rainbow Dash exited the small room with the plan to find and thank her unknown savior.

After Rainbow Dash pushed past the branches she got a question answered but also another question. The answer was that the reason the room had reminded her of Twilight's library was that, apparently, the room was inside a tree. The question was that where was her elusive savior? She was simply staring out at a small clearing. In the center of which was the tree in which she had just been residing. The tree she had been trying to avoid after aiming for the clearing. Technically she had, if you didn't count that big branch at the end.

Though looking around the trees base, then up in the foliage she noticed something odd. She couldn't seem to find any destruction in the tree or around it that told her she'd just crashed into it. The aching in her barrel told her she most certainly had. She prodded herself gingerly again and again winced. She knew that it would be a few days before she could hope to fly home. She had been hoping that she'd be able to beat any search party they sent out. She would of course publicly claim it would be to stop any wasted resources. What it was really for was to save her bruised ego. She had crashed, but she didn't need to be found like some lost foal.

Looking about Rainbow Dash smiled a bit when she noticed a nearby stump. It was obviously not a normal stump. It seemed to be filled to the brim with fresh, clear water. Rainbow Dash walked over to it, peaking down, she nodded. It seemed the stump's inside was lined with leaves to keep it from absorbing the water. And without any reason to believe that she was a target for malicious tricks, she took a long, satisfying drink.

Her immediate concern of water over, her mind went to food. She didn't know enough about the forest to know what berries she could eat. Peaking back inside the treehouse it didn't look like her host had anything in the way of storage either. She hoped that her helper would take an IOU. She didn't have any bits on her. She was, of course, good for it, but if whoever had helped her did so in anticipation of payment they'd need to wait on that payment.

Rainbow Dash sat down, taking a deep breath and blowing it out. She was really just being a bit high strung. Either way, she was partially healed, she was safe, and she had water. She would no doubt soon meet whoever helped her and they could feed her. Then she'd come back with bits to pay them, whether or not they demanded payment. It was the principle of the matter.

Thoughts of rewards and the interesting reasons a unicorn might be living out here alone were interrupted by an apple. An apple dropping in front of Rainbow Dash. She blinked in confusion. First looking about, then looking up she double-checked that this tree certainly wasn't an apple tree, and it wasn't. She hoofed at it a few times before hesitantly picking it up. The thing that got to her most at the moment was she had no idea where the apple came from. She'd have seen another pony climbing up in the branches, that was certain. But then she leaped to her feet as she heard a soft giggle.

Hostess?

Rainbow Dash turned and smiled as her savior had finally revealed herself. While Rainbow Dash wasn't sure how she missed it, she now knew that her hostess was just around the tree. Though she hobbled slightly due to her injuries Rainbow Dash made good time around the tree and... Again there was no one there. Wrinkling her nose as she returned to her previous place, certain she hadn't just imagined the giggle. But there was apparently nothing to do about it at the moment.

As Rainbow Dash picked up the apple though she heard a quiet hum. Looking around, Rainbow Dash couldn't see anyone. But now that she was paying attention to it, it really seemed like she was being watched. After a long moment Rainbow Dash scowled. She felt a little stupid doing this but there wasn't much else she could do. "Is humming good? This apple is for me?" Rainbow Dash wasn't sure if it was her wishful thinking or reality, but she thought the humming got louder. So with a shrug Rainbow Dash dug into the apple.

The apple was crunchier than the Apple family's apples, that was for sure. But she liked it quite a lot. Regretful when she devoured the one she'd been given in just a few bites. She was about to try and talk to her hostess again but then two more apples were dropped in front of her. She quickly ate a second apple and pushed the third to the side. "I'm full thanks. Now would you show yourself?" The silence dragged on for a long moment before she felt the need to add. "Please?"

After a long moment of silence, Rainbow Dash heard that giggle again and she couldn't help herself from grinning. She knew she should be annoyed by the elusive creature that refused to show herself, but the creatures giggle for some reason set her at ease. While Rainbow Dash couldn't know, she'd started thinking of her mysterious hostess as female. The giggle sounded female to her. She had to admit that the giggle was downright cute, and that the fact that the giggler had helped save her certainly made a good first impression. Rainbow Dash couldn't stop herself from snickering at her own ideas. It was like one of Rarity's totally lame romance novels. At least that one that Rarity had made her read after she lost a bet. And totally not the other ones. The ones Rainbow Dash totally didn't sneak out of Rarity's closet every once and a while.

Getting up with a low groan, Rainbow Dash started pacing around the tree. She wasn't Applejack, she wasn't a tree expert. But this had to be a pretty old tree. It was quite wide, though not supremely tall. With a frown, she remembered that Applejack has mentioned that some trees didn't grow tall if they didn't need to. So this might just be one of those kinds of trees. Rainbow Dash frowned as she looked up into the boughs of the tree. She had the weirdest feeling that she was near her hostess, whoever or whatever she was. But that made no sense, and Rainbow Dash knew it!

After a few more moments, Rainbow Dash looked out to the forest line. That had to be where her hostess was. Where she'd gotten apples from had to be somewhere in the forest as this wasn't an apple tree. She had remained hidden so far. Rainbow Dash has examined around the tree, and looked up into its branches. There was no pony hiding there. That giggle though. It sounded like it was coming from just beyond her vision. Hiding behind a branch, or just around the tree. But whenever Rainbow Dash looked it was empty.

Suddenly Rainbow Dash had an idea and ran around the tree as fast as she could, back to the apple. Reaching it she paused, then nodded. Leaning up she reached to pluck a leaf off the tree. She was about to reach it when there was a strange but unmistakable growl. Looking around, Rainbow Dash was unable to locate its source but she hesitantly pulled back from the leaf. "Uh... No?" The growl was replaced by the pleasant humming from earlier and Rainbow Dash nodded. She didn't really need the leaf anyway. The ground was clean enough.

With a bit of work, Rainbow Dash managed to split the apple into approximately half with a stick. She ate half and then set out the other half about three feet in front of her and sat down, waiting. She was hoping that her hostess would not only understand the gesture but not let the apple go to waste. After a few minutes though Rainbow Dash was starting to doubt it, until she heard a soft sound behind her.

Spinning around Rainbow Sash grinned victoriously. "Aha!" Though the empty air did not seem overly impressed by her exaltation. She groaned likely, hearing another soft thump behind her and slowly turning to see that the apple half had been taken. "Wow, you sure are fast aren't ya? Well, I'm pretty fast too ya know." After considering for a moment, Rainbow Dash decided that her hostess had to be around here somehow. To move that like that it had to be up in the branches.

Rainbow Dash grinned as she back away from the tree a few paces. "Ok then, if you don't want to come out I'm coming in!" She lept forward, acting a second before her brain had fully formulated her plan. And the downside of that is that her brain hadn't had enough time to remind her that her wings were still under her bandage. Even as she lept forward to take flight up into the branches of the tree she was actually barreling straight for the tree's trunk. Covering her face with her forelegs, Rainbow Dash readied herself for a collision that never came. Looking down at herself she saw she was surrounded in magic.

Really...?

Rainbow Dash was hoisted into the branches of the tree and set on a sturdy one. After a long moment, Rainbow Dash looked around. She was seemingly alone up here. Until she nearly jumped out of her skin, and off the branch she was sitting on, as two eyes appeared in front of her. The eyes looked at her with obvious annoyance. Without even a single word, the eyes were obviously demanding an explanation. One that Rainbow Dash was a bit embarrassed by.

"Haha... Yeah... That one was my bad." She reached behind her head and nervously scratched. "I... I kinda forgot that my wings were banged up. Sorry about that." The growl sounded again, from about where a mouth would be if the eyes belonged to a pony. "No, really, I'm serious!" The growling continued. "Really! I promise! All my friends will tell you I act before I think!... I mean not that they're right but..." The growling was interrupted by one of those giggles, and Rainbow Dash smiled, still a little chagrined. "I wasn't trying to undo all your hard work or anything. And... Thanks for helping."

After a short hum Rainbow Dash felt herself lifted off the branch with magic as the eyes closed and hid the creature completely once more. "W-Wait!" One of the eyes opened to regard her quizzically. Rainbow Dash gave her best coaxing grin. The one she saved for finagling to her extra cupcakes from Pinkie. "You're private, I get that. But we're alone out here aren't we? You could come down and visit? I mean, so long as I'm here... We could be friends?" Part of it was that having someone with her world help her boredom, but also this creature was fascinating. Rainbow Dash liked everything she knew about the mysterious stranger. It wasn't much but she wanted to know more for that exact reason.

The eye closed again and Rainbow Dash sighed as she started being lowered. She could accept that whatever this was didn't want to be known. And she could respect that. She didn't understand, but she'd just have to put up with not getting to know her hostess for a few days. When she was returned to the ground she simply laid down on the soft grass. Looking out at the forest she smiled gently. The creature may not have wanted to be friends but she had done Rainbow Dash a great service at least.

Rainbow Dash decided to take a nap after about half an hour of bird watching. She almost missed the soft thump behind her. This time she managed, just barely to keep herself from spinning around again. She slowly sat up. Taking a long moment. "Am I allowed to turn around?" The soft hum came again so Rainbow Dash turned around, and paused. There wasn't anyone behind her. Then she noticed those two eyes floating nearby the tree trunk, like the creature was pressed up against the tree. "Hey."

As the creature considered her silently, Rainbow Dash tried to figure her out. She was doing things in her own time, sure. But Rainbow Dash wasn't sure why she was hugging so close to the tree. She had shown that she was powerful enough to lift Rainbow Dash with ease. Enough to remain invisible if she wanted, which from what Twilight said was obscenely difficult. And with how hurt Rainbow Dash was the creature might even be stronger than her. But her hostess seemed hesitant to reveal herself, so Rainbow Dash thought it best to wait and let her go at her own pace. At least for as long as the pegasus could stand it. Rainbow Dash hoped she would be able to keep a handle on her impulsiveness and impatience.

Though the creature didn't seem interested in revealing itself it wasn't simply staying inactive. Her eyes flitted over the leaf bandage over Rainers Dash's side, tugging gently at it with magic and producing a low questioning hum. Rainbow Dash could be a bit slow on the uptake at times, but it'd be hard for that question to be misinterpreted. "Oh no, the bandages are fine. Or... Was that more an order that it's time to change them, than a question?"

The tugging stopped and the eyes moved side to side in an obvious shaking of her head. Rainbow Dash nodded. She didn't think that she'd need a change of dressing. She wasn't even sure what the dressing was there for really. She was guessing just to stop the giant bruise, that her stomach no doubt was, from getting irritated. "So, you don't talk, but you can understand me?" The affirmative hum was all the answer she got. After a small silence Rainbow Dash figured that she'd just ask the question she wanted to most. "Sooooo... Why are you staying invisible? I'm not going to... Do anything."

The eyes continued to consider Rainbow Dash in silence before she hummed again. After a long moment, Rainbow Dash just shrugged. "Well, I won't try to force you. If you don't talk do you mind if I talk? It'll take our minds off the time." This time the answer was another giggle, not a hum, Rainbow Dash wasn't sure what was funny but since it seemed to be an agreement do she wasn't going to complain.

Rainbow Dash knew that even if she was here for the full two days she couldn't tell her entire life story so she stuck to the important parts. Telling first about how she and the other elements of harmony stopped nightmare moon. She didn't lie, of course, but if she was being completely honest she might have been slightly overselling her own parts. She was trying to impress her hostess. Mostly just to help massage her ego. But also she wanted the other to like her. By the time she was done covering just the main points, she looked out to see the sun going down. "Oh, well that was fast."

Her

Rainbow Dash watched curiously as the creature moved down the side of the tree. At least its eyes did. She watched as the eyes stopped, looking down for a long moment before the creature took another step down, one of her hooves contacting the soft grass, and the magic shielding her from sight faded. Running up the creatures' body it slowly revealed Rainbow Dash's companion. Running up a strange little cleft in the front of its hoof and up its leg, to reveal a tuft of fur about halfway up it. Then up to her barrel. There it revealed the oddest scaled back, with a slightly curled tail with long hair coming off it. Then up the creature's head, filling in the light brown mane around the creature's head, up its ears, and down to a smiling mouth. The last thing to be revealed was the creature's antler coming up from where a unicorn's horn would be.

Rainbow Dash stared for a long moment at the creature, unable to look away. The same amber eyes stared back at her but the rest of the mare was completely novel to Rainbow Dash. She smiled a little bit wider than she should have. She couldn't help it, the mare was exotic, and stunning in a way that Rainbow Dash couldn't put her hoof on. The entire 'she healed me' wasn't hurting Rainbow Dash's feelings for the other mare either. She chortled at herself as she shook her head gently. The kirin tilted her head to the side and Rainbow Dash smiled. "Sorry I was just surprised... You're beautiful."

The Kirin's eyes widened for a long moment. Then she lept back onto the side of the tree, somehow vertically running up the side of the tree as she reactivated the spell that shielded it from sight. Rainbow Dash looking up and seeing the very edge of the mare's tail disappear up into the canopy of the tree. Rainbow Dash scowled at herself, she just had to say that and scare off the pretty mare. Groaning in annoyance Rainbow Dash looked out at the sun setting then up at the tree. "Well, I suppose that we should go to bed... Even though we skipped dinner."

From right in front of where Rainbow Dash had been standing sprung a number of dandelions. Rainbow Dash glanced up at the tree and just barely caught the fleeting sight of the faint glow of magic. She smiled a bit and leaned down, examining the flowers before raising her voice. "So, you have a lot of nature magic then? I don't know many unicorns that can do nature magic. Not that you're a unicorn. But they tend more towards other things. Then again, we ponies in general aren't really forest dwellers. Especially not us pegasi, we live up in the clouds."

She waited for a hum, a laugh, or even a growl but got nothing in response and she sighed gently. "You know, I wasn't trying to scare you. I have a hard time keeping my peace when I want to say something, ok? I mean, you are really beautiful, but I'm not going to try to do anything!" The silence continued and so Rainbow Dash continued to fill the silence with words, for the sake of talking. And because she was actually a little nervous, she didn't want to have offended her hostess. "I mean, I am into mares. But I mean, I don't even know if you are a mare. I mean, you look like a mare, but all your kind could look like that and you could even not actually have a gender. I mean, Twilight told me about a... Uh... A thing that just reproduces by making a copy of itself! If that was true then you'd all be pretty! I mean..." Rainbow Dash had to take a moment to give herself a mental slap to stop herself. "Dang it, Rainbow Dash! Stop saying 'I mean'! Oh, I mean, I mean, you're making yourself look like an idiot here!"

Though Rainbow Dash was upset that she had made herself look rather foolish by repeating the phrase over and over, she wasn't sure if it was her honesty, her list of nonsense, or her berating herself, but it did prompt the kirin's beautiful giggle. Rainbow Dash smiled and sat down, taking a deep breath. "Ok, sorry about that again, but you seem to still be open to talking to me? Well, communicating. We'll see about teaching you some words later, ok?" The silence was deafening before Rainbow Dash smiled widely. "Oh! I think that I should limit myself to yes or no questions shouldn't I?" The hum was obviously a positive. "Ok! Got it!" She grinned as she thought for a long moment.

"Ok, let me ask a few before bed. You thought it was funny when I berated myself?" The giggle was the positive this time and Rainbow Dash snickered. "I have to admit that too. You were... Upset when I called you beautiful?" There was a long pause followed by a quiet growl. "Hm... Not upset, you were... Surprised?" A quiet hum. "You liked listening to my stories earlier, or were you just humoring me?... Of course I did. You liked listening to my stories earlier?" This time the hum wasn't so quiet. "Well, I have more stories for later then! Oh, if this is a touchy subject with your people don't answer, but, are you a mare?" Another hum and Rainbow Dash smiled. Taking a few moments of silence to eat her provided dinner of dandelions, she yawned. "I'm pooped, I'm going to turn in, will you be here in the morning?" A quiet hum. Rainbow Dash started to head in before she stopped, smiling gently. "You liked it when I called you beautiful?" A long pause followed the question, almost long enough for Rainbow Dash to think the kirin wasn't going to answer, then came, almost too quiet to hear, a hum.

Name

Rainbow Dash yawned and stretched. She'd never felt such soft wood in her entire life! She grinned and pushed the reed blanket off herself. Walking out of the tree she looked up. "Good morning up there." After a few moments, those large amber eyes looked down at her, the happy humming answering her. Rainbow Dash smiled slightly as she looked down to see two apples sitting in front of her. She grabbed one up and quickly and devoured it. Looking up at her quiet companion.

After a long moment Rainbow Dash frowned. "Hey, what should I call you? I mean... I could just call you beautiful." The giggle came again but the moving eyes indicated a shaking if the head. "Too bad. I suppose that you don't know how to write ponish do you?" Another head shaking. Rainbow Dash sat down to try and puzzle it out. Then in front of her, a tiny tree popped up. After a moment of starting Rainbow Dash grinned. "Oh! Tree?" A low growl, then the tiny leaves on the tiny tree turned orange and started to fall. "Oh, fall?" Another growl and Rainbow Dash thought for a moment. "Autumn?" The hum told her she was right. But Rainbow Dash's next statement was interrupted by a small fire bursting into life next to it. "Ahh!... Oh. Hm... Autumn Fire?" A low growl and Rainbow Dash tried again. "Flame? Flicker? Blaze?" The hum came and Rainbow Dash smiled. "Ahh! Autumn Blaze?" The hum continued.

"Well, Autumn Blaze, are you planning on coming down to visit today?" There was a long silence. Rainbow Dash looked up and waited, but the silence continued. Rainbow Dash shifted and waited for a few more minutes. "I'm sorry Autumn Blaze, am I pushing?" A growled response caused Rainbow Dash to frown. "Do you want to come down?... But aren't supposed to?" Two hums at that and Rainbow Dash nodded. That explained a number of things, including why it took her so long to meet her hostess. "I'm sorry about that Autumn Blaze. I'll stop pestering you I don't want you to get in trouble." And at that there was what sounded like a quiet whimper. Rainbow Dash looked up at the new sound. She decided that silence was her best course of action.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her face and looked out at the tree around her. "Is the forest safe? I thought I might go for a bit of a walk but circling the tree is boring." There was a hum followed by a growl and Rainbow Dash frowned. "So it is safe but you don't want me going in a walk?" Another hum. "Why not?" No response and Rainbow Dash chuckles. "Oh, of course that was a silly question... Hm... Let me think..." Rainbow Dash absently poked at the tiny tree As she compiled a list in her head.

Rainbow Dash took a leaf out of Twilight's book and set out a list of every reason she could come up with. She frowned after a moment as she realized that if the answer was her first guess she'd just wasted her time. She shrugged, there was either something she didn't get about the method, or Twilight really was even more of an egghead than she thought. "Well, do you not want me to go in a walk because you'd be lonely?" Autumn Blaze giggled but then growled gently. "Darn." Another gentle giggle. "The forest is confusing and easy to get lost in?" A low growl. "No one is allowed in the forest?" A small hum and Rainbow Dash nodded. "Oh, so I'm guessing your people aren't big in outsiders?" A gentle hum. "And that's why you... Uh... Weren't really happy with the fact that I thought you were beautiful?" A short pause then another hum.

Rainbow Dash frowned out at the forest then smiled gently to herself. "I don't suppose we could meet with your people and convince them I'm good? And that we're all good?" A low growl, though a sad one if Rainbow Dash has learned to read Autumn Blaze's hums at all. Well, her hums and her growls. Rainbow Dash smiled as she sat down and leaned back. "Well that's too bad. You could have visited Ponyville with me. Ooh, I wonder if Twilight could teach you the cloud walking spell. You could have visited my house." At the curious hum, Rainbow Dash grinned. "Oh! We Pegasi live up in the clouds. I think I mentioned that, didn't I? My house is called the cloudominium. And I'd be interested to see your people. Do you all live in trees? And, I mean, if you wanted, you could have, eventually, you might have lived there too. If you know... You wanted to..." she was interrupted by a loud thump behind her.

Quickly turning around Rainbow Dash met the kirin's eyes. After a few moments, Autumn Blaze was fully in view, making obviously purposeful eye contact with Rainbow Dash. "Uh... You're... Back down." Autumn Blaze nodded, still making eye contact and Rainbow Dash couldn't stop herself from shifting a bit, thinking that she was missing something very obvious. "Aren't you not supposed to be down here? So... This is important?" A low hum and Rainbow Dash continued to stare.

"I'm sorry Autumn Blaze, but I don't know what you need from me..." Autumn Blaze hesitated a moment before pointing at Rainbow Dash, who nodded hesitantly. Then she pointed to herself and pointed up to the sky. Rainbow Dash's nodded as she understood. "Oh yeah, I'm completely serious Autumn Blaze. It'd be awesome if you could come with. There'd be a lot new for you to see!" She smiled and shook her head. "Sorry, about that. I know you can't leave, it's ok."

A low growl then Autumn Blaze ran back up into the tree's branches, cloaking herself in magic once more. Rainbow Dash nodded before frowning. Autumn Blaze just growled... Was she saying no to 'you can't leave...?'

Talk

Rainbow Dash yawned and stretched as she walked out of the tree room. She had headed in for a nap after Autumn Blaze took to an extended time of silence. Which was technically normal, but she rarely answered the first time she was spoken to. Now she was awake and hoped that Autumn Blaze would be more attentive now. "Good afternoon, Autumn Blaze." After a few moments of silence, she frowned and looked up again. "Hey, Autumn Blaze?" Rainbow Dash waited for a few moments longer before harrumphing slightly. Laying down and crossing her forelegs to stare out at the forest. Fine then, if Autumn Blaze needed some more quiet time she'd deal with that.

Though after a bit of thinking Rainbow Dash glances up at the tree, thinking she got it. "Oh, I get it! Well, at least I think I do. You can't come with me right?" She assumed she's misunderstood the other's growl previously. "You can't come, so you don't want me to get more attached, eh?." She smiled a bit as she looked out at the forest. "I guess it's best for both of us. Though I would appreciate it if you did say goodbye before I left." She sighed as she rested her head on her hooves, staring out at the forest.

Rubbing at the bandage Rainbow Dash nodded. "Hey, you think I can take off the bandage?" The silence was her only answer. She frowned and shook her head. "Fine, let me do it this way. Do you think anything bad will happen if I do?" After another silence, she nodded. Wiggling and grunting in annoyance as she did her best to get the infernal bandages off of her. Growling as she looked up. "At least give me some help!" After no response, she grumbled and continued getting the bandages off.

After her extended efforts, she took in a deep breath and sat down. "You made me work for it eh?" She chuckled and stretched her wings, flinching ever so gently. "Urgh. They're stiff as heck, but I have to say you have some amazing healing magic there Autumn Blaze." She glanced up and sighed in irritation. Even the compliment didn't get a response and she shook her head. Well, Autumn Blaze was taking the distancing to an extreme, but it was what it was.

Rainbow Dash laid down again and started to slowly stretch her wings. She wouldn't be flying anywhere until tomorrow, but she did need to ease them back into use. It had only been a day and a half or so, but that was still more than enough to make them stiff. Humming to herself she tried to focus on her wing stretches and not think about Autumn Blaze. But she couldn't stop herself and eventually, she knew she wouldn't be able to keep her peace.

So she got up and paced around the tree. Grumbling under her breath as she did so, running over in her mind her best course of action. She could always just yell at Autumn Blaze. It wouldn't accomplish anything but it would at least make her feel like she tried. She could also climb the tree and try to have a heart to heart with her unspeaking host. But if Autumn Blaze didn't want to speak, so to say, with her she wasn't going to force it. Rainbow Dash came back to the front of the tree. Or, at least what she thought of as the front of it, where the entrance to the room inside was. She supposed being direct but not insistent was the best option here.

Sitting up Rainbow Dash took a deep breath. "Ok, Autumn Blaze. I really need to get this off my chest. I'm not going to demand an answer or anything. But I do need to say this." She bit her bottom lip then nodded a bit to herself. "Ok, let me start off with this, you are really pretty, and that helps me like you. Like I said earlier I am into mares, so you being pretty is a real big bonus." She grimaced slightly, that made her sound very, very shallow, but then again, it was the truth. She'd gotten a lecture or two about it from various people, but she couldn't help it. "I know, I shouldn't think like that, but I do. I never claimed to be the best pony... Well, I mean from a moral perspective. I'm the best at most things." She snickered and paused but no giggle. Clearing her throat she started again. "Sorry, not the time for jokes."

Rainbow Dash sat up straighter, she might as well look her best while presenting her... Case as it were. "Ok, I've had marefriends before and all that. So this isn't some new pony crush that I've never had before. I know what crushes are and all that. And... Ok, this is going to sound very stupid. Just like me because I keep saying ok..." She wrinkled her nose at herself and made a mental note to stop that. "But I like to think that... This is super fast but, I felt like we have some kind of connection. I know that's super silly, you haven't even spoken to me, but I don't think you can speak so that's... Understandable. I mean listen to me, I think it sounds so silly I'm actively trying to talk myself out of it!" She made another mental note not to slip back into saying 'I mean.'

Rainbow Dash sighed and figured she'd already been speaking too much, so she'd just sum it up and let the chips fall where they may. "Look, Autumn Blaze. I feel like we have some kind of connection. I don't know why, but I really would like it if you came with me. Or... Even if you let me stay." Rainbow Dash looked up, then sighed and laid down, staring out at the forest, as silence was her only answer.

Home?

Rainbow Dash continued to sulk as she stared out at the forest. She could understand Autumn Blaze's point. She'd dive into relationships too quickly, and she had to reel it back. And really, Autumn Blaze couldn't go to Ponyville. So it made sense she might try to distance herself once she had a moment to think about it. But the stonewalling was just petty.

Rainbow Dash would have continued to brood if she hadn't seen something. First, it struck her as baffling, then a relief, then just absurdly funny. Rainbow Dash couldn't stop from starting to laugh as she realized what she'd done. This caused Autumn Blaze, walking over to her from the forest's edge, to look at her puzzled. Rainbow Dash grinned as she stood up, getting her laughing a bit under control. "I'm so happy to see you!" At the raised eyebrow she explained, motioning up to the tree. "I thought you were ignoring me!"

Autumn Blaze giggled and looked to Rainbow Dash's side, motioning to her wings. "Oh, they're stiff but I should be good to go tomorrow!" Even as the words left her mouth she felt a warm aura wrap itself around her wings. Like a hundred wing massages from the spa at once. "Ooooh..." Rainbow Dash melted on her hooves. She didn't like to do a Rarity impression, but here she didn't have a choice. The feeling was unlike anything else.

After a few moments, Autumn Blaze stopped her magic and walked over, laying down next to Rainbow Dash and pressing up against her gently. Rainbow Dash's head shot up and she looked sideways at Autumn Blaze. "Uhh... Hello to you too." But Autumn Blaze wasn't looking at Rainbow Dash. Following the kirin's gaze, she caught sight of a larger kirin in the shadows of the trees. It made a single nod of its head before turning and walking out of sight.

Rainbow Dash blinked then looked back at Autumn Blaze who seemed to be focused on getting as close to Rainbow Dash as possible. After a few moments, Rainbow Dash wrapped her wing around her companion. "Are you coming home with me then?" At the quiet hum, Rainbow Dash smiled, gently nuzzling into Autumn Blaze. "Good."

Rainbow Dash smiled as she cuddled close to the kirin. "Well, I could carry you if I was at full strength but as is we should probably wait for the searchers after I didn't show up to the Wonderbolts. They'll have a stretcher to help carry you." Autumn Blaze nodded absently. "And if you don't like it I'll bring you back."

Autumn Blaze turned her head and looked sideways at Rainbow Dash. She took a moment to notice and looked down closer at Autumn Blaze. "What's up?" Autumn Blaze seemed to think for a long moment but then shook her head gently. Rainbow Dash smiled gently. "Don't worry the stretcher is safe. I mean it'd have been for me when I was injured." Autumn Blaze giggled gently and nodded after a few moments.

Rainbow Dash frowned a little. "Hm..." Autumn Blaze tilted her head questioningly and Rainbow Dash grinned a little. "I'm sorry I just... That looked more like you grabbed an excuse to me." Autumn Blaze rolled her eyes but nodded. Rainbow Dash laid her head back down and Autumn Blaze smiled at that, nuzzling into her. "Hm?"

Autumn Blaze pointed at Rainbow Dash, then up at the sky and the pegasi nodded slowly. "You going with me?" Autumn Blaze hummed, then shook her head, and pointed at the herself and the tree behind them. It took Rainbow Dash a few moments to put the little scene together before her eyes widened and she stood up quickly. "Wait, if you go with me you can't come back!?"

Though Autumn Blaze nodded calmly, Rainbow Dash was incensed. "Well, that's just ridiculous! What kind of..." She was interrupted by a sibilant hiss from beside her, making her jump away from the sound. Though after a moment she stared at its source. "Autumn Blaze!? That was you!? I thought there was a snake!" Autumn Blaze was glaring daggers at Rainbow Dash and she put her ears down gently. "Oh, uh... Yeah... That's kind of what your people chose isn't it?" Rainbow Dash grinned as she nervously rubbed the back of her neck. "Sorry about that..."

Autumn Blaze giggled gently and pointed to Rainbow Dash then back to herself, then did a couple of taps on the ground. Starting away from her and getting closer to Autumn Blaze. Rainbow Dash nodded, smiling gently as she thought she understood. "You used to be impulsive like this?" Autumn Blaze gave her a pleasant hum and Rainbow Dash nodded, grinning. "And you forgive me?" Another hum and Rainbow Dash nestled back next to Autumn Blaze.

Rainbow Dash let the matter lie for a short time, wanting to let it be peaceful for a few minutes. But Rainbow Dash wasn't comfortable in letting the subject go on its way without another comment. "Autumn Blaze?" A questioning hum was the answer. "I'm not wanting to scare you off, really..." She chuckled. "I really don't want to scare you off, but you sure about this? I don't want to be the reason you can't see your people again. Especially if... I mean like, I do think we have a special connection, but... What if we don't? And you can't go home?"

Autumn Blaze gave a quiet, thoughtful hum, but didn't seem ready to answer. They remained there in silence for the rest of the evening. Rainbow Dash was taking the time to simply enjoy spending time with the one she might not get to see again, depending on her decision. Autumn Blaze, Rainbow Dash assumed, was contemplating her choices.

As the sun went down Rainbow Dash stood up and looked up at the sun. "I'm going to bed." She smiled, leaning down, and kissing Autumn Blaze on the cheek. "I hope to see you in the morning."

Home

Rainbow Dash yawned as she climbed up onto the bed. She closed her eyes, and did hope she'd get to see the Autumn Blaze in the morning, and that she'd be coming with. Or if not, at least hoping she'd see her off. Rainbow Dash raised her head in surprise as the pretty kirin she'd just been thinking about walking into the tree with her. Its antler glowed faintly and another wood bed grew up out of the ground, and she laid down on it, smiling across the dim room at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash yawned gently as she got up, looking over at Autumn Blaze's bed, which was now empty. Rainbow Dash wasn't surprised, she liked to sleep in, and even when not doing it in purpose, she did it. Walking out she saw Autumn Blaze staring out at the forest. Rainbow Dash thought better than being loud but wasn't going to sneak up on her companion. "Good morning." She walked up to sit next to the kirin. "Having second thoughts?"

Autumn Blaze looked at Rainbow Dash for a long moment before shaking her head, nuzzling into the pegasus. "Well, glad to hear it. I'll take a quick look up there, see if I can spot the searchers." Autumn Blaze watched as Rainbow Dash flew up into the air.

Scanning the horizon it took Rainbow Dash a long moment to spot the dark purple far off. Grinning herself she waved down to Autumn Blaze and sped off to get the retrieval squad and their stretcher. As she got close enough to be heard she waved. "Hey, Cloud Chaser!"

"Rainbow Dash, what took ya? We thought you'd crashed or something. At least we won't need the stretcher now."

Rainbow Dash smiled. "Yeah, about that... Get the others and follow me, we do need the stretcher."

Cloud Chaser raised an eyebrow but then nodded. "Ahh, found someone injured? Well that'd explain it."

Rainbow Dash shook her head. "Uh, not exactly, I'll explain on the way."

After a long day of explaining what happened a couple times, getting Spitfire's permission to have a week or so off, and having Twilight to teach the cloud walking spell, Rainbow Dash was exhausted but happy. Though she couldn't deny that she was a bit nervous as well. "Uh... Autumn Blaze, you sure you want to move in? I know Twilight has plenty of room in the castle, she could put you up for a while. This is a pretty big step."

Autumn Blaze raised an eyebrow at Rainbow Dash. Motioning around the Cloudominium and then pointing at herself. Rainbow Dash didn't really get it, but she tried a guess. "You like it here?" Autumn Blaze giggled and took a moment to hum her confirmation before shaking her head. Pointing at herself again she pointed to the door, then her antler. Rainbow Dash flinched a little as she got the point. "Oh... Yeah, you kind of already took a way bigger step didn't you?" Rainbow Dash shifted a bit, she was still a bit uncomfortable with the fact that Autumn Blaze had kind of upended her life because she had a thing for the kirin.

Autumn Blaze giggled again, causing Rainbow Dash to frown in confusion. Autumn Blaze took a moment to look around before pulling over a couple of random pieces of furniture and placed them all around herself. After Autumn Blaze stared at Rainbow Dash for a long moment the pegasus realized what that was supposed to be. "You felt trapped?" The kirin nodded and put the furniture back, before raising her hooves like she was holding something, then moved them apart quickly. Rainbow Dash shook her head and Autumn Blaze frowned, looking around before floating over a convenient apple. She pointed at Rainbow Dash who nodded, and then broke the apple in half with her magic. "Ah! I was the final thing to make your decision?"

Autumn Blaze nodded and walked over, nuzzling gently into Rainbow Dash and smiling at her, letting out a small sound that sounded more like a purr than a hum or a giggle. "Heh, so if this goes south you don't want me blaming myself? You kind of wanted out anyway?" The hum of confirmation did indeed make Rainbow Dahs feel a bit better. "Well, not that I'm about to let this go south."

Autumn Blaze giggled as she walked up the stairs, turning and looking back at Rainbow Dash for a long moment. "Hmm... You wanna see your room? Well, a room we'll make into your room. It's not like I was expecting this before I left." Autumn Blaze giggled again, nodding. She let Rainbow Dash overtake her to lead the way. Winding up the stairs they made their way to a large room that was full of random things and Rainbow Dash chuckled. "This is the old spare room, but I didn't have a used for it so I kinda just shoved my spare stuff in here. We'll get it cleaned out for you, obviously."

The work proceeded a lot faster than Rainbow Dash was expecting, but having someone who can magically hoist things down the hallway certainly helped. She kind of shoved everything into her living room for the moment, she'd figure out where to put everything after they got Autumn Blaze settled in. "We're gonna need to get you some stuff, I assume you'd like to decorate it in flowers and nature and stuff?" The hum was expected and Rainbow Dash nodded. "Ok, so..." She was interrupted by a quiet hum and she looked up. "What?"

Autumn Blaze climbed up on the old, but still comfortable cloud bed and patted next to her. Rainbow Dash grinned and climbed up, laying next to her... Marefriend and simply enjoying a quiet cuddle. Maybe she didn't need to be so in a rush all the time. As Autumn Blaze leaned over and gave Rainbow Dash a kiss on the cheek she really considered taking more things slowly.

Author's Note

Well, this is officially the end of the fic! But I do have one more chapter that's an alternate ending. After encouragement to publish it as well I'm doing so tomorrow.

Dreams (alternate ending.)

Author's Note

As promised, here is the alternate ending I thought up for the fic but decided to go with chapter eight as the official ending instead. Enjoy.

Dreams (alternate ending.)

Rainbow Dash relaxed in the darkness of the tree, only to hear something. She looked up and realized it was Autumn Blaze climbing the outside of the tree and nestling up in its upper branches for the evening. She smiled a bit to herself, she wasn't sure why, but she was fairly certain that the kirin had made a choice. And it wasn't the choice that Rainbow Dash would have strictly preferred.

Rainbow Dash yawned gently as she got up. Rainbow Dash glanced at the door and saw a generous amount of sunlight coming through. She wasn't surprised, she liked to sleep in, and even when not doing it in purpose, she did it. Walking out she saw Autumn Blaze staring out at the forest. Rainbow Dash thought better than being loud but wasn't going to sneak up on her companion. "Good morning." She hesitated for a moment before nodding to herself. "Come to see me off?"

Autumn Blaze turned to look back at Rainbow Dash, smiling and nodded. She got up a moment later and walked over, giving Rainbow Dash a quick nuzzle before backing off, and inclining her head slightly. "Heh, yeah, well I was guessing after you went back up to the tree." Rainbow Dash motioned upwards. "It kind of seemed like you were setting things back to how they were when we first met.

Rainbow Dash looked out at the forest and raised an eyebrow. "I don't' suppose me visiting you all would be an option then? I mean we're really good people, ponies are peaceful." Autumn Blaze shook her head, a sad look in her eyes. Rainbow Dash nodded as she sighed. "Yeah, I mean I'd love to see you more but... I'm not sure I could leave all my other friends for a new adventure. Even with the most beautiful mare I've ever met." Autumn Blaze giggled and raised an eyebrow. "What? This is my last chance to compliment you!"

Autumn Blaze giggled again in appreciation and patted the ground in front of her. Rainbow Dash grinned as that command was rather obvious, walking over and lying down in front of the kirin. Autumn Blaze leaned her head forward and Rainbow Dash waited for what was to happen next. After a few moments, Autumn Blaze pointed at Rainbow Dash then leaned forward again. Rainbow Dash stared for a moment before realizing. "Oh!" She leaned forward as well, pressing her forehead to Autumn Blaze's. Following the kirin's lead by closing her eyes.

What Rainbow Dash couldn't see was Autumn Blaze's antler light up with light as they lie there, eyes closed, foreheads pressed together. After a few minutes, Autumn Blaze pulled back, smiling widely, causing Rainbow Dash to answer with another smile. "Well, that was a pleasant goodbye, I think?" The kirin giggled, but before Rainbow Dash could say anything else Autumn Blaze darted forward and gave her a gentle kiss right on the lips, before jumping back and grinning at Rainbow Dash.

Rainbow Dash blinked, completely caught off guard by the act, and slowly getting up she looked at Autumn Blaze quietly for a long moment before inclining her head to the kirin. Autumn Blaze smiled and copied the act, before turning and running off to the forest's edge, jumping up into the low branches of a tree. She turned and looked at Rainbow Dash, waiting. Rainbow Dash nodded to her one last time, before spreading her wings, and shot up into the sky, looking down one last time at the trees where she was sure that she was still being watched from, she rose up into the air further and further.

After Rainbow Dash reached the appropriate height she smiled to herself, she knew she couldn't outrun this melancholy, but she could sure try. And give Autumn Blaze a show at the same time. Taking a deep breath Rainbow Dash dove, gaining speed quickly as she approached the vaunted upper limits of her capabilities. Right before leveling off, she hit the speed that she'd been aiming for, causing the rainbow explosion of color and sound right over the clearing as she achieved her signature move, the sonic rainboom.

She shot off, over the treetops as she leveled off, smiling as she rode the burst of rainbow colors to speed her away from the place that she'd fallen for and had to abandon a beautiful stranger. She couldn't run from her feelings forever, but for now, the exhilaration of flight certainly did distract her from them.

Rainbow Dash sighed as she laid down in her bed back at the Cloudominium. She was technically supposed to be on duty but she had asked for a few days off. And Spitfire, much to Rainbow Dash's surprise had granted it. She suspected Cloud Chaser had something to do with that. Rainbow Dash had been over most of the story with her friend, and Rainbow Dash guessed that she had gone in and pressured Spitfire into accepting Rainbow Dash's request for leave. Or Spitfire was a lot more empathetic than Rainbow Dash gave her commander credit for and could see the melancholy that surrounded Rainbow Dash. She knew she'd get over it, it was a silly thing to get caught up on, but she did still feel some kind of connection to Autumn Blaze, no matter what kind of logic her brain tried to put forth.

Closing her eyes, Rainbow Dash fell asleep quickly, it had been a stressful and tiring day after all. She was half amused and half annoyed as her dream started off with her back in the clearing with the tree. She blinked, frowning as she realized she was aware she was dreaming, she had heard of lucid dreaming but she'd never experienced it. Then she smiled as she heard a voice from behind her. One she'd never heard before, but she knew to whom it belonged instantly. "That wasn't goodbye, Rainbow Dash. We will always find each other, every night, in our dreams."