The birch trees painted dots of sunlight onto Fluttershy’s path. Golden catkins lay scattered on the ground, soft under her hooves, their scent sweet and clingy in her nostrils. Fluttershy inhaled slowly, trying to focus on the thick texture of the scent. The wind blew strands of mane into her face, tickling her nose.
A pony appeared in the gap of her hair curtain for a moment, and Fluttershy lowered her head. She briefly wondered who they were. Maybe they were on the way to a date as well? The weather was so lovely, after all.
She could have fought her instinct and looked up, or even greeted them, just to practice interacting with a stranger. But today she did not feel brave enough.
A frown crossed her. Why was that? She was going to see her friends, who usually made her feel safe and a little less scared of the world. But she could not help but feel nervous.
Maybe it was that she had never been on a double date before, just on regular ones with Rainbow Dash. She didn't know what it would be like. What if she was just going to be awkward the entire time and make the others uncomfortable? She also knew that Pinkie, as sweet as she was, could be a little loud, and energetic, and carefree, and just … maybe a tiny bit too much at times.
Reaching the end of the road, she swept aside those thoughts. An old, rotting signpost marked the place where Pinkie had told Rainbow and her to meet. Fluttershy was a little early, since she hadn’t been sure how long she would take by hoof and didn’t want to be late, so nopony was there yet.
She didn’t mind solitude, not at all. But even Fluttershy had to admit that waiting here on her own, outside of town, was a little lonely. She didn’t even know any of the birds living in this area very well.
She wondered where Pinkie was going to take them. She had made such a secret out of this date that Fluttershy couldn’t help but tense up when she thought about it. She didn’t like surprises, and Pinkie knew that, but she had insisted that this time it would be worth it.
A breeze of air made Fluttershy look up, and her legs trembled with relief when she saw a streak of rainbow colors in the sky.
Rainbow Dash touched down in front of her a few heartbeats later, and Fluttershy had to restrain herself from jumping her. Instead she embraced her gracefully but firmly, and when she pulled away Rainbow placed a kiss on her nose that prickled hot. Again, Fluttershy had to hold herself back as not to overwhelm her with affection.
Her marefriend looked at her with a half smirk and a casual flip of her mane. “Hey Flutters. You been waiting long?”
“Oh, not at all.”
Rainbow put a wing around her. “So what do you think Pinkie has in check for us? You think she told Twilight where we’re going, at least?”
“I really don’t know.” Fluttershy pressed into her side, making the other pegasus stagger a bit.
“Hey, soften up. Wherever we’re going today, I’m sure it’s gonna be awesome!”
Fluttershy nodded and swallowed the clump that was forming in her throat. Rainbow Dash was right. And as long as they were together, how bad could it get?
When Pinkie finally arrived, Fluttershy felt ready. She separated herself from Rainbow and stood with her four hooves on the ground, bracing herself for her friend who approached with long bounces.
Pinkie was wearing an even brighter smile than usual.
“Heeey! Shy-shy!” She stopped in front of Fluttershy and threw herself at her with little self-restraint. “I’m so glad you’re here! Today is going to be a~ma~zing!”
Fluttershy caught her hug, wordlessly pressing her muzzle into Pinkie’s shoulder. She smelled like cotton candy, sweet and sugary. Her warm neck rubbed against Fluttershy’s just enough to send a shiver down her spine.
Fluttershy didn’t quite know what to do with her hooves, so she rested them on Pinkie's back. Pinkie squeezed her just a little tighter before letting go.
When she was free again, Fluttershy stepped back and looked down on the ground. Hugging Pinkie was nice.
“And Dashie!”
Fluttershy saw Pinkie step forward, getting on her hind legs to embrace Rainbow Dash as well. Her hooves were shiny and well-trimmed, cute and pink like everything about Pinkie.
“I’m sooo happy to see both of you!” Pinkie cheered. “I can’t wait to get to the secret place and start!”
Fluttershy almost agreed with her.
“Is your marefriend gonna meet us there?” said Rainbow Dash, “or is she just tardy?”
Secretly Fluttershy thought that Twilight Sparkle was usually not tardy, as opposed to Dash herself, but she didn’t say that. “Yes, Pinkie, where is Twilight?”
“Huh? Twilight isn’t coming, silly, she’s in Canterlot!”
“I thought this was a double date?” Dashie's voice cracked a note higher than usually.
“Duh!”
Pinkie put one hoof around each of them, yanking Fluttershy towards her.
“I’m going on a date with both of you!”
They sat in the back of a cart, Pinkie in the middle between Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, who was still unsure how exactly she got here.
The cart jumped on the gravel road, shaking them around on their wooden seats. On larger bumps, Fluttershy's hip would press into Pinkie’s, and she would look at the back of the stallion who was pulling the cart and wonder how much longer it would take them.
“You alright over there?” asked Rainbow Dash past their host. She must have asked a dozen times since they got on the cart.
“I’m fine.”
She really didn’t mind sitting next to Pinkie. She usually would have sat next to Rainbow, but she didn’t want Pinkie to feel like the third wheel.
This wasn’t too weird, was it? Just three friends on a friend-date. Even if it wasn't what she had anticipated, Fluttershy had been on outings with the girls often enough. Maybe less often now that she was spending a lot of time with Rainbow alone, but that just meant it was extra special to go out today, wherever they may be headed.
The cart changed to a small muddy road, throwing up stones and dirt. Fluttershy held on to Pinkie, scared of falling off. Rainbow on the other side of the cart tried to balance herself with her wings, which only worked for a little while until she had to grab Pinkie’s leg as well, all while stoically avoiding her gaze. Fluttershy giggled into Pinkie’s mane as she watched her efforts.
Their ride slowed down as they passed a row of carts parked at the side of the road. Ponies were getting out of their harnesses and foals chased each other around. There were families, couples, groups of friends. A lot of them wore hats: stetsons like the one Applejack had, sports caps and derby hats, and fancy straw hats that even Rarity might have liked. Fluttershy suddenly felt naked. She wished she too had a nice hat, one with an extra wide brim to hide under. She involuntarily grabbed Pinkie a little tighter.
They came to a stop in front of of a high, white fence, with chicken wire running between the wooden panels to almost pony’s height. Fluttershy wondered what that was for.
“We’re here!” Pinkie announced, jumping off the cart and taking Fluttershy’s hoof to help her down. “I'm so excited!”
She turned to help Rainbow down as well, but she had already gotten off and hovered next to them.
Fluttershy gave her a brave smile before getting dragged through the gate. They passed a small, round building with windows full of colorful scarves and streamers. A sign said “Bets and Souvenirs.”
“Do you wanna place a bet? Oh, we should probably wait until they present the contestants, silly me.”
Rainbow glanced at the shop window. “Carrot’s Nine Thousand? What sort of sport is this? The food olympics?”
Pinkie grinned. “Only the most amazing, FUN-tastic, and adorable sport in the history of ever.”
Fluttershy frowned. She had heard of the team before. “Bunny racing. Pinkie, I don’t know if this is a good –”
She didn’t get further due to taking a full frontal tackle of a hug.
“A sports event for Dashie, and cute bunnies for Shy! Can you say best date idea ever?”
“Yeah, I don’t know,” Rainbow Dash said from somewhere beyond the fluffy mass of pink hair that obstructed Fluttershy’s vision.
“Just wait until the race starts! I Pinkie-promise it will be great!”
Fluttershy swallowed, thinking about the poor bunnies that were being forced to compete, trained at the hoof of reckless ponies to perform for their entertainment and profit. She couldn’t believe that Pinkie Pie was supporting a practice like this.
A mare with a worn-down, light brown hat approached. “Pinkie Pie!”
Her voice was sweet and mature. Fluttershy noticed a bit of hay that was stuck in her orange mane.
“Carrot!” Pinkie squeaked. “Guys, this is my friend Carrot Top, owner of the Carrot’s Nine Thousand.”
Pinkie spun around herself two times and pointed at the two of them.
“Carrot, this is Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash, two of my bestest friends in the world!” Fluttershy felt the eyes of strangers in her back, turning around to see what the noise was about. “We’re here on a date!”
For the second time Fluttershy wished she had a large hat, or maybe a tent would be better. Pinkie really tried her very hardest to be a considerate pony. Fluttershy knew that she did. She just wasn’t always very good at it.
Rainbow Dash wordlessly put a hoof around Fluttershy’s shoulder, placing herself between her and Pinkie.
Carrot laughed. “Then don’t let an old mare like me hold you up. You fillies have fun! Just make sure to come by the stables later to meet the winners.”
She moved on, and Pinkie gently shoved Fluttershy and Rainbow onward.
Fluttershy focused on her breath, and not on the hundreds of ponies turning their heads towards her, staring with hundreds of glaring eyes.
She usually avoided dates in public spaces. She tended to get nervous, and when she got nervous she wasn’t able to pay attention to Rainbow a lot, and she knew how important it was for her marefriend to get attention.
Pinkie led them to a row of platforms that turned out to be the arena: two levels of stands surrounding an oval track bounded by a low, bunny-sized fence.
“We’re just in time to get good spots,” said Pinkie over the noise of chatter and hoof stomping, and dragged them to the final corner where she shoved aside some bystanders to make room.
She nuzzled both Fluttershy and Rainbow and settled between them. Rainbow flinched a little, and her mouth got smaller and smaller.
Fluttershy brushed against Pinkie's side, debating whether she could hug her. Pinkie, she was sure, wouldn't mind, but Rainbow might not like it.
A stallion with a top hat walked into the arena and started speaking through a megaphone. “Ladies and Gentlecolts. Welcome on this lovely day to the round rectangle, and to the event you have all been waiting for: the eighth annual Rich Run! Sponsored very generously by Rich Enterprises.”
Pinkie turned to Fluttershy. “They should have a relay and call it the Rich Run Rabbit Relay Race.”
“Whether you are new to the sport or a veteran viewer,” the announcer continued, “today we have a truly spectacular race day for you. With not one, but two new stables entering the ring this season, the competition is getting truly tense. Will Carrot’s Nine Thousand stay the leading force in the world of small jumpy lagomorphs? Will Sir Simon Sunflower Snugglepuff keep his lap record for another year? Will there be enough carrot stew for all you hungry viewers? The last one I can promise is taken care of, actually. This and more today at the Rich Run!”
The crowd cheered loudly, and Fluttershy involuntarily ducked her head.
The announcer climbed over the barrier and settled on a small podium sticking out between the stands, before raising the beacon again. “The first race of the day will be the Ponyville Press Cup, sponsored by your local newspaper services. They might be small, but they are big in our hearts: please give a warm welcome to the contestants!”
At the entrance of the arena, a small fluffy nose appeared.
“Not so shy!” Commented the announcer. “Come on, little guy. This, Ladies and Gentleponies, is Carrot’s Nine Thousand’s newest new hope. Hippity-Hopp Henry the Heroic entering the arena right now with small clumsy steps – look at him go!”
The crowd fell into a chorus of awwws as the small fluffy bunny hopped over the sand, looking left and right at the ponies watching. Fluttershy had to admit this bunny did not show signs of distress. She relaxed a little. He indeed seemed rather curious, if a little insecure. Her heart leapt up to her throat when she caught his gaze. Go, little bunny, she thought. Go and run this race.
“With 10 months, this is his first race – a true wild card! This bundle of adorableness may only bring a modest 5 pounds to the scale, but he is a child of the legendary Helga Holunderdream Houseguest, 8-time winner of the Cutie Coddles Spa Cup! So when he gets his fluffy little paws moving don’t be surprised if he takes your heart and runs away with it. Look out for race number 50.”
The announcer patiently waited until the little bunny completed his round. Henry stopped a few times to sniff at the ground.
“The next contestant hardly needs any introduction. You have all seen him run home with the title last year, and he is eager to repeat his success today! I’m speaking of course of Sir Simon Sunflower Snugglepuff, running under number 23!”
The bunny in question hopped into the arena confidently, stopped for a second to observe the crowd, and then went on to show off his form by making impressive leaps across the track.
“Also a Carrot’s Nine Thousand protégé, he has spent 4 of his 5 years on the track. He weighs in at 9 pounds and is a child of Silent Selena Solitude.”
“He’s pretty cool,” Rainbow said to Pinkie. “Little guy has spirit. Hey, can we go bet on some bunnies?”
“Sure!” Pinkie beamed at Rainbow. “I used to bet on them all the time, but my therapist said I’m not allowed to anymore. But you should totally go! Here!”
She pulled five bits out of her mane and gave them to Rainbow, who looked at her puzzled.
“I invited you,” Pinkie explained. “That means everything is my treat! I don’t make the rules.”
Shrugging, Rainbow went off, hurrying towards the betting station.
The next bunny was just hopping through the arena, but Fluttershy hadn’t caught their name. She leaned over to Pinkie Pie.
“Is this really okay? You shouldn’t have to pay.”
“Are you kidding? This is Sir Simon Sunflower Snugglepuff! He will probably win. And if Dashie gets a lot of money from betting she can use that to invite me on another date!”
Fluttershy thought about that. She knew that Rainbow would probably not just ask Pinkie Pie out on a date. On the other hoof, what if she did? The more Fluttershy thought about it, the more she was convinced that the two of them would probably have more fun together than she and Rainbow had on dates. Pinkie was much cooler than Fluttershy and not so easily scared. She somehow always knew what to do around other ponies and had a lot of attention to give.
She watched the bunnies each run their rounds. It was a curious thought, but nothing more. Rainbow had decided to be with her, and wasn’t changing her mind. And if she did, Fluttershy would support her decision, just as she had supported her decision to join the Wonderbolts Reserve or to hot-glue a to-scale tank cannon onto her pet Tortoise’s back, even though she was certain that Tank was a pacifist. What kind of pony would keep her marefriend trapped?
However, the thought that Rainbow could be happier with another pony than her still made her a little queasy.
“Fluttershy?”
When she looked up, Fluttershy saw Pinkie’s worried face hovering in front of her own.
“Everything alrighty, Shy-shy?”
She nodded, but Pinkie didn’t look like she believed her.
“Really, it’s … it’s nothing. I would feel silly saying it.”
Pinkie came even closer, tilting her head to offer her an ear to speak into.
“I was just wondering, um, what would happen if, you know,” she whispered, not sure how she would be able to say it. “If you and Rainbow started going out.”
Pinkie’s gaze was hot on her lowered forehead. “But we are already going out today.”
“I mean if she was your marefriend. I was wondering what it would be like if you two were really happy together and would marry and have foals and live the rest of your lives together without me.”
Pinkie brought her face down on Fluttershy’s eye level. “Fluttershy?”
“It’s just … sorry, forget what I said.”
Pinkie inched closer to her still. “I would like the thing you said, the part with the marrying and foals. Can you imagine, me and Rainbow getting married? It would be the biggest party ever. Everypony would be invited, and there would be rainbow streamers and the cake would be pink and rainbowey too. There would be an airshow and fireworks and we would –”
Fluttershy winced. She could vividly imagine what Pinkie was describing, a loud and rambunctious celebration. It would certainly be fun, more fun that Fluttershy would ever be.
“You get the point. But there’s also something you said that I wouldn’t like at all. Do you know what that is?”
Fluttershy shook her head.
“It’s the living the rest of our lives without you part,” Pinkie whispered. “That part would make me very unhappy. And what is the point of getting married if it doesn’t make you happy?”
“But you would like to be with her?”
Pinkie’s head bobbed up and down.
Despite having just asked, Fluttershy wasn't sure she understood right. “But what about Twilight?”
“I still want to be with her too, duh.”
Fluttershy wasn't quite sure how to make sense of that
“What would Twilight say to that?”
“She thinks it's great! She's already excited to hear about how today went when she's back.”
Fluttershy gasped. “She knows?”
“Duh! You can't just go dating other ponies without telling your marefriend about it,” Pinkie said seriously. “Twilight always says that communication is key! And I never lose my keys, except that one time I accidentally baked them into a cake, but then you can just eat the cake and you get your keys back, so really, it's a win-win situation.”
Fluttershy wasn't sure she could follow. “So if you and Twilight would still be together, and it would be okay for her, would you want Rainbow Dash and me to still be together, too?”
“Of course! I like you being together. I even wrote a song about how much I thought it was the best thing ever when you guys started out, remember?”
She remembered vividly.
“But you want to date Rainbow Dash?” she asked again, just to be sure. “Like date-date her? Like you date Twilight?”
“Yep! And you, obviously!”
Fluttershy froze. That part had not crossed her mind.
“But only if you want to. It's important not to date ponies who don't want to date you.”
“Sorry.” Fluttershy shrunk. “I mean, I don't know.”
“That's okay! Don't worry about it, you can just sleep on it and tell me when you know.”
“I don't know.” She let her mane fall over her face, trying to hide from her friend.
It wasn't as if she didn't like Pinkie. If she was being honest with herself, there had been a time, long before she started going out with Rainbow Dash, where she might have had feelings for her. She didn't really have friends back then, and Pinkie had been so nice to her, and had always gone out of her way for her. One time, she had thrown her a birthday party at her home. It had just with the two of them and her animal friends. They ate cake and drank tea, and Pinkie and Angel Bunny had a fierce tic-tac-toe contest, and as Pinkie asked Fluttershy if she had any more wishes for her birthday, she had thought about asking her to stay and snuggle with her a little. She hadn't actually done that, of course. But to this day, despite her loud and chaotic energy, Pinkie just made her feel safe, and cared for. And maybe she did enjoy hugging her friend a little more than she should. But what Pinkie was suggesting? It was just very sudden, and she wasn't sure what to make of it.
The touch of a hoof brought Fluttershy back to reality. Somepony was shoving her to the side.
That somepony was Rainbow Dash. “Do you mind, Pinkie?”
Rainbow sat down between them, putting a hoof around Fluttershy's neck. Pinkie beamed at her. “Oh, not at all, Dashie!”
Somehow, it all felt like a bizarre dream.
“Hey, you’re back in time for the race,” Pinkie said, excitedly bouncing up and down on her seat.
Fluttershy felt Rainbow’s grip on her tighten. “Um, Rainbow Dash, how did it go? Did you bet on Sir Snugglepuff?”
“Uh-huh.”
Fluttershy tried to think of something else to say, but all she could think about was Pinkie and how she just matter-of-factly declared her romantic intentions with her.
She was glad for the distraction down in the arena, where the bunnies were now all lined up for the first race. Their noses twitched nervously, and their fluffy little tails were raised high up in the air.
Fluttershy hadn’t caught the other contestants’ announcements, but she did spot Sir Snugglepuff, who was giving his competition a triumphant look. To his left was a chocolate-brown, clumsy-looking bunny with a single hanging ear, and to his right – what was his name again? Hippity-Hopp Henry. Henry ducked under Sir Snugglepuff’s gaze and shuffled aside just slightly.
“Ready,” said the annunciator. “Set. Go!”
And they jumped off.
Most of the bunnies were close to being head-to-head on the first part of the track, only a few falling back – with worry, Fluttershy spotted Henry among them. Sir Snugglepuff was keeping a confident pace at the front.
The annunciator's voice echoed through the stands. “There they go – in the lead Raspberry, Cutesy, Pom Pom, followed closely by Goosebumps and Snugglepuff – now Pom Pom taking the lead, he looks determined, Cutesy falling back behind Puff, Puff now overtaking Goosebumps!”
A cheer went through the crowd.
Fluttershy looked for Hippity-Hopp Henry again, who was making his way through the field, cheering him on in her thoughts.
“Snugglepuff showing what he’s made of, easily passes Raspberry, now in second – Goosebumps falling back – Henry catching up and look at that, he is on Cutesy’s tail, but that also puts him on the outside as Cutesy is defending her position.”
Rainbow’s hoof clamped on Fluttershy's shoulder while she shouted. “Come on Puff! You can make it! Go! Go!”
“Meanwhile,” the annunciator went on, “Raspberry is desperately fighting to get back her second place, but it does not seem like she can make it – Snugglepuff now head-to-head as they close in on the finish, Cutesy still fourth – and what is that, Goosebumps trying to make a comeback now close to Henry, Henry under pressure from both sides can not make it happen and oh Puff passed Pom, is this it, yes he pulls ahead, if he can keep this up –”
Fluttershy tried to follow the commentary, but there was too much going on at the same time. So she kept watching Henry, who looked very scared of his two competitors keeping him in between them.
“– but oh, Henry finally managed to get away from Cutesy and Goosebumps – Goosebumps pulls ahead of Cutesy – look at that girl run! – and it is Sir Snugglepuff who finishes in first here at the first race today, Pom Pom second, and Hippity-Hopp Henry the Brave, the newcomer, does make it onto the podium here in his racing debut, and look at him run! I can’t wait to see more of him in the later competitions.”
While the announcements of the following places echoed through the arena, Rainbow Dash jumped up and did a small victory dance in front of Fluttershy and Pinkie.
Fluttershy did her best to smile at her. “Yay!”
She would have liked for Henry to win, but since Rainbow had a bet on Sir Snugglepuff she felt an obligation to support him too. And Henry had made a big comeback and finished third. She was happy for him.
“I’ll go get my bits!” Rainbow announced. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
She went a few feet before stopping and turning around. “Wait, scratch that. Don’t do anything I would do.”
“Aw, no fun,” Pinkie said and giggled.
Fluttershy tried to imagine what Rainbow Dash would do that she didn't want Pinkie to do. Rainbow didn't really like to show affection in public. Sometimes, she got flustered even when she and Fluttershy were holding hooves in private.
Fluttershy thought that she wouldn’t mind holding Pinkie’s hoof. But she couldn’t just do something like that, of course.
“Hey, how do you like the day so far?” Pinkie asked, casually grabbing Fluttershy’s hoof.
“It’s, um, nice.”
Pinkie squinted her blue eyes at her. “Are you really enjoying it, or are you just saying this because you’re being super nice and don’t want to hurt me?”
“No, I really, really, thought that it was, um, nice. There’s just a lot of ponies and we are holding hooves and I feel like everypony is staring at us but um, that’s alright if you want to –”
Pinkie let go. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t think.”
The warmth on Fluttershy’s hoof disappeared.
She wondered if she could have misunderstood something earlier. Maybe Pinkie meant she wanted to be with them as friends, and friend-date them. And have a friend-marriage with Rainbow.
Pinkie bounced up and down on her seat. “This is so exciting! You have no idea how long I've been wanting to go on a date with you two. Are you excited? Do you think Rainbow is excited?”
“I’m not sure.” Fluttershy stared at the arena, where the next group of contestants ran their rounds while being introduced. “I think she liked the race, but she seems just a teeny tiny bit uncomfortable.”
“You think? But why?”
Fluttershy sighed and looked at Pinkie’s mane, wondering, not for the first time, whether it tasted like cotton candy as much as it looked and smelled like it.
“I think she doesn’t know what to make of you wanting to go on a date with her and me. I could imagine that it makes her insecure because she doesn’t understand what you want from her, and maybe she's also worried that you want to take me away from her. And, to be completely honest, I feel the same way.”
Pinkie's smile shrunk a bit.
“Well, I like you super super super much.” She shifted on her seat next to Fluttershy, looking at the ground. “That is three supers. But I also like Rainbow Dash super super super much, and so I thought to myself, Pinkie, you should totally just go on a date with both of them. I don't want to take anypony from anypony. I'm sorry if I'm making you feel that way.”
“Pinkie, you can’t just date all of our friends.”
“Why not? I totally like all of them.”
Why not?
Fluttershy ignored the question and shook her head. “Why do you even like me so much anyway? I'm not very interesting, or fun.”
“Yes you are! Maybe you're not fun in the me-way, but you're super fun in the you-way! And if I wanted fun in the me-way I'd ask Twilight to do that cloning spell on me again that we tried out that one night, and maybe I'll do that but that's totally not the point!”
Pinkie looked down at her hooves.
“You’re, like, one of the most amazing ponies I know,” she said quietly. “You’re a super cute mare and you’re nice to everypony and you're patient and never scold me when I mess up even though it must be hard for you because when I get excited I don’t think about things very well, unlike Twilight who is really good at thinking about things. Like how I didn’t think about that it could make you girls uncomfortable that I want to go out on a date with you, even though you two are already dating. You never get angry with me for things like this.”
“Why would I get angry?”
“I don’t even know!” Pinkie chuckled. “Ponies never tell me, they just get angry! But you don't. It just feels so nice to be around you, and you also smell nice, and you're super pretty. Twilight said I shouldn't compliment you just on your looks because it's something you're born with, but I still want to say it because you totally are.”
“You're pretty too,” Fluttershy replied instinctively.
For a moment they both went awkwardly silent. Then a beam spread on Pinkie's face that rivaled Celestia's Sun. “Awww, thank you!”
“Thank you too.”
Pinkie took her hoof again, and Fluttershy let it happen. “But it’s okay if you just wanna be friends. I like being your friend.”
Fluttershy nodded. “I like being your friend, too, Pinkie Pie. Let’s be friends.”
“Can I hug you?” Pinkie’s question was almost a plea.
“You may.”
Pinkie shivered as she wrapped her hooves around her. Fluttershy tried to imagine what it had to be like, confessing her feelings to a friend. Of course she had done it herself, once. To this day she didn’t know where she had pulled the strength from, that fateful day she had asked Rainbow to be her marefriend.
They stayed in the embrace for a while. Fluttershy listened to Pinkie's breath close to her ear, going quickly and sharply first, then becoming more relaxed.
“You’re a good hugger,” mumbled Pinkie. “Very soft and lovable.”
When Fluttershy let go of her, they were still holding hooves. She looked at Pinkie. Her eyes were blue like cornflowers, or blue jays, or blue jays sitting in a field of cornflowers. Fluttershy saw her own reflection in the pupil.
“Thank you,” Fluttershy heard herself say, not sure what she was thanking her for.
They were so close Fluttershy could feel the warmth of Pinkie's face through the barrier of air that separated them, could faintly even smell her sugary breath. The noise of the crowd melted into static, which seemed to sink into Fluttershy's chest and make it tingle. The tingle spread through her entire body and up into her head. She licked her lips, which had become dry, then wondered if Pinkie would notice and mistake it for an invitation, and whether that would be a good or a bad thing.
The crowd roared as the next race started, startling both of them.
Pinkie turned away and sat down again, and Fluttershy followed, her face hot and tense.
“I wonder what’s taking Dashie so long,” Pinkie mused. “She’s missing the – what race is this one?”
Fluttershy shrugged, watching the bunnies run. She didn’t know who any of them were, but since they were all giving their best, in her heart, she felt that any of them would deserve to win. In the end, it was a big, chubby-looking bunny with black spots who made it, whom the annunciator was calling “Sweetie”. Fluttershy had to think of Sweetie Belle and giggled.
A few minutes later, a rather disgruntled Rainbow Dash finally arrived.
“You won’t believe the kind of line I had to wait in. These ponies are going absolute nuts about this.”
Fluttershy didn’t dare to meet her gaze. It wasn’t like she and Pinkie had done anything bad, she tried to convince herself. They had just been talking. And staring into each other’s eyes. While holding hooves. And being so close that it wouldn’t have taken much more than a tilt of her head for Fluttershy to give Pinkie a big smooch on the lips.
“But you got your money?” Pinkie asked.
“Yeah well, it wasn’t that much actually. I kept telling them that I won, but they wouldn’t give me back more than six bits fifty. That’s like … not a lot.”
“He was the favorite,” Pinkie explained. “So of course lots of ponies were betting on him.”
Rainbow shook her head. “That’s what they were saying. But why does that mean I get less? This thing is so rigged.”
Fluttershy decided not to try to explain how the system worked. She only had a rudimentary understanding of sports betting herself.
“It’s easy,” Pinkie said. “If you make one batch of cupcakes for six ponies, you get twelve cupcakes, so everypony gets to have only two cupcakes. Except if Rarity is like ‘darling, I need to be careful, darling, my weight, darling’ –” she held her hoof to her forehead while saying that, fluttering her eyelids in her best Rarity expression “– everypony gets two-point-four cupcakes. And if Twilight has a tummy ache because I accidentally fed her too much cupcake batter again, everypony gets three cupcakes!”
Rainbow Dash gave her a confused look. “I don’t get it.”
“Everypony who bets on the right bunny gets some cupcakes. So the less ponies bet on the same bunny, the more cupcakes there are for you!”
Finally, Rainbow’s face lit up. “Pinkie, since when did you get so smart? Is it because you hang with Twilight all the time? Like, does it rub off on you? Maybe I should try that.”
Pinkie snorted. “No, silly, I knew that before. But I can recommend dating Twi anyhow, she’s such a sweet potato. Aw, you two would be cute together!”
Rainbow sat down next to Fluttershy, looking a bit bewildered. Fluttershy tried to picture it. She knew that Rainbow needed somepony who was patient in a relationship. She wondered if Twilight Sparkle fulfilled that – even though she was usually a kind pony, she could be rash sometimes. But then, she had come a long way since Fluttershy had first gotten to know her and was able to deal with stress a lot better now. So maybe it would work out, after all. And Fluttershy could not help but think that her friend’s tidiness might be a good influence on Rainbow.
“It’s a shame she can’t be here,” Pinkie said. For the first time during the date, her smile grew a little shallow.
Fluttershy wondered how this day would be going if Twilight had joined them. Maybe she could talk to Rainbow Dash and explain what was going on, so Fluttershy wouldn't have to. Maybe she would have brought flash cards and given them a lecture about the scientific benefits of dating more than one pony.
She couldn't decide if that would make everything less confusing, or more. However, Fluttershy knew Twilight could be surprisingly good with relationship advice, so maybe it would be okay. She remembered talking to her that one evening, confiding in her her feelings for Rainbow Dash and asking for her advice on how to ask her out.
“I like Twilight,” she heard herself saying.
Pinkie bounced on her seat. “Gosh, me too!”
“What is she doing in Canterlot, anyway?” Rainbow asked.
“Oh, it’s something super duper exciting! But I Pinkie Promised not to tell anypony, sorry.”
The next race began – the third of the day – but neither Fluttershy nor Pinkie payed much attention, instead exchanging glances.
“Sometimes,” Pinkie whispered, “Twi picks a cookbook from the library, and we try out some of the recipes together. Well, it's mostly me trying them out, but we eat them together.”
“That sounds nice.”
“Do you and Dashie ever cook together?”
“No. I, um, I usually snack from the food I make for the animals. Well, some of it anyway. Bird seeds are pretty yummy. Sometimes when Rainbow is over I cook for us, but most of the time she doesn’t want to wait so we just make sandwiches.”
Pinkie skidded back and forth on her seat. “Hey, do you think we could cook something together?”
“Of course.” Fluttershy liked the idea of spending time with Pinkie. They were not doing that often, not just the two of them, anyway. “Oh, that sounds like a lovely idea.”
“It does! I love to cook together, but it’s too stressful for Twi.” Pinkie nuzzled her side excitedly.
Meanwhile, Rainbow kept her eyes glued to the track. Fluttershy sometimes suspected that she avoided her surroundings by locking in on things like that. She leaned over to her, probing if she should cuddle with her a little, but she got no reaction.
The annunciator started shouting, cheering the bunnies on to give it all on the home stretch. They flew across the finish line, one by one.
“What a race, and what an upset, here today at the eighth annual Rich Run! Carrot’s Nine Thousand not within the first three – no, not even within the first five contestants to finish! Who would have imagined this! Reminds me of 985, when Quickhoof scored that twenty-nine to twenty-eight in the last minute and kicked the Baltimare Buckers out of the championship in the first round – sorry, wrong sport, I know.”
Ponies entered the arena to rake the sand, evening out the treads of the previous races. “Where was I, right, upcoming we have the event of the day, the Rich Cup, generously sponsored by Rich Enterprises, a local business. This trophy has always been the most prestigious of all, and only the finest stall can take it home. With competitors traveling all the way from Manehattan just for this one event, can Carrot’s Nine Thousand take it home the fifth time in a row? It is promising to be a race that you will tell your grandfoals about!”
The ponies in the arena hurried to finish their raking as the first bunny came into the arena for their introduction.
“You already know Sir Simon Sunflower Snugglepuff, start number 23.” Sir Snugglepuff looked relaxed, going about his round with confident hops. “He is no stranger to this race either – if I may remind you, he won the Rich Cup for his stall last year! Naturally a favorite. Again, for those of you who are looking to bet: that is start number 23.”
The bunny had hardly left the arena when the next contestant entered. This one Fluttershy had not seen before: it was a red-brown rabbit with long legs and ears and a bulky body.
“And there comes the competition. She seems like she can’t wait until the race is finally starting. From the city of Manehattan, with the start number 55, please welcome Rubenia Reverie Roundbottom. You can see she’s a fighter, look at her stride! If there’s a bunny taking the cup from Carrot’s Nine Thousand, it is sure to be her.”
“Snugglepuff got this,” Rainbow commented, turning towards Fluttershy and Pinkie.
Pinkie rested her head on Fluttershy’s shoulder, looking back at her. “You think?”
“Sure. He’s awesome!”
“Wanna bet again?”
She shrugged. “It’s probably not worth it. I think I’ll just stay here.”
Fluttershy was wondering whether the real reason was just that she wanted to keep an eye on her and Pinkie, when she saw another familiar face in the arena.
“Next, we have Hippity-Hopp Henry the Heroic, also running for Carrot’s Nine Thousand. It’s his first race day, and so far he’s doing great for a newcomer, so please show him some love.”
A few ponies started clapping.
Fluttershy looked at the bunny. He still seemed hesitant, going slow and with his head low to the ground. Then, suddenly, he looked up, directly at her. Fluttershy met his gaze, and it was as if he asked her, can I do it? With this competition, do I stand a chance?
“You can do it,” Fluttershy whispered. He looked at her for one more second, then let his head sink back towards the ground.
“Do you think Henry can win?” asked Pinkie, her head still on Fluttershy’s shoulder.
“Yes,” she murmured. “I am sure of it. If he does his best, he can run faster than everyone else.”
“Wanna bet on him?”
“I don’t know.”
“I can come with you if you don’t want to go on your own.”
She looked at Rainbow, who was observing the arena again, then back at Pinkie. She was smiling at her, but it was a small smile, a I’ll-wait-for-your-decision smile.
She didn't want to leave Rainbow alone, but then, there was nothing she could do for her while staying with her either.
“Um, alright.”
Pinkie offered her hoof, and grinned as Fluttershy took it. “Then let’s go!”
The crowd of ponies was intimidating, but it didn't trouble Fluttershy much. As Pinkie Pie talked about a recipe she had tried recently and a party she was planning and whatever else Pinkie talked about, she was a place rather than a pony, a place where Fluttershy felt safe. She looked down at Pinkie’s hoof, which she was still holding. This was okay.
“That is one doozy of a line,” Pinkie remarked.
Fluttershy shuffled closer to her. “I don’t mind waiting.”
Being down here at least meant they were getting away from Rainbow Dash for a bit. Fluttershy felt a tinge of guilt as she thought this, but sometimes, it was difficult for her to be in her marefriend’s presence. She didn't blame her, of course. She knew that Rainbow had insecurities, and usually she was happy to be there for her. But when she had a lot to think about, like now, it could overwhelm her just a tiny bit and then she didn't know what to do.
She sighed. If only she were less sensitive.
“Is everything alright?” Pinkie asked.
Fluttershy wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about it, but when Pinkie kept looking at her with that warm, inviting smile, she gave in.
“Do you think I'm too sensitive?”
“Nu-uh! Why would I think that?”
“Because maybe I could be a better marefriend for Rainbow Dash if I weren't.”
Pinkie wrapped her in a hug. “Shh. I think you're amazing just the way you are, and I'm pretty sure Rainbow thinks that too.”
Rainbow did, or at least she told her so. Fluttershy pressed her face into Pinkie's mane. “I just can't help but feel weak sometimes. Rainbow just does things and doesn't think about them half the time, and you ...” she drew back to look at Pinkie, who cocked her head, listening intently. “You are just this, this light that never goes out. You keep going, and you keep smiling, and no matter what happens, when somepony needs you you're always there and you always know what to do to cheer them up. But I'm not like that. I just want to hide from everything. Well, maybe not right now because I'm with you, but usually.”
“That's not true at all! I know it's scary for you to go outside or talk to ponies, but you still do it all the time! You're here right now, and I'm super duper proud that you came even though I know you don't always like surprises and maybe I shouldn't have asked you and Rainbow on a date and all that stuff but I like surprises and I wanted to ask you so I couldn't just not do it.”
“It's okay. I, I think I like this. It’s a good place for a date, even if it’s, well, loud, and crowded.” She squeezed Pinkie. “I really like you a lot, Pinkie Pie. I'm glad you took us out here.”
Pinkie squeezed her back and held her. “I like you a lot too!”
The ponies in front started moving, leaving a space before the two mares that they hurried to close.
Fluttershy hummed quietly as they waited. Now that the line was finally in motion, they slowly made their way between hay bales and tents towards the little hut at the entrance. She still didn't know what to do about Rainbow, but she felt like maybe it would be okay. She felt strong.
Pinkie Pie remained uncharacteristically quiet, just smiling and observing the ponies around them. Sometimes she leaned in to nuzzle Fluttershy, just a casual gesture of affection. She never let go of her hoof.
“You said something earlier,” Fluttershy remembered as they got closer to the betting hut. “About Twilight and Rainbow.”
“Yes?” Pinkie gave her an expectant smile.
“I know you said that Twilight is okay if you go out with other ponies, but I'm just wondering, since you said this, if she wants to do this as well. With Rainbow Dash, I mean.”
“That's a good question. I should totally ask her when she comes back! She probably is into Rainbow though, don’t you think?”
Fluttershy wasn’t sure what to answer. “Maybe?”
“Hm.” Pinkie scratched her chin. “I just know she’s into Rarity, and a little into Applejack, but I mean who isn’t into Applejack right?”
Ahead, the roof of the little voting hut came into sight. Fluttershy's eyes tracked the pattern of the gray roofing felt stapled onto wooden planks. “Applejack is … nice.”
“Oh, I didn’t want to say that you have a thing for her, I mean I wouldn’t know.”
“Well …”
Applejack. The best thing about Applejack was that she was dependable, and kind at the same time. She was a rock to lean on for her friends. She could be stubborn, but always meant well, and had an endless tolerance for any of their antics.
A sudden warmth spread in Fluttershy’s chest, thinking about her, and she looked down at the ground. “Well, maybe. I'm not sure.”
“Aww!” Pinkie hugged her again, firmer this time. “She’s such a cutie. I have to ask her out one day.”
Fluttershy couldn't help but wonder whether Rainbow Dash felt that way, too. She and Applejack had always had a very special relationship. A mixture of good-natured rivalry and quiet comradery connected them in a way Fluttershy knew she could probably never fully understand. Which was fine. But that did not have to mean anything besides the two being friends, did it?
Then she reminded herself that Rainbow was a very physical pony who had difficulties expressing affection.
Fluttershy thought of the last time Rainbow and Applejack had a hoof-wrestling contest. There had been a certain tension between the two, and for almost a week afterwards, Rainbow had been so much more … intense than usually. And whenever they raced each other, they always ended up tangled on the ground, one way or another. And Applejack was the pony that Rainbow Dash tried to impress more than any other of her friends. And …
“Pinkie Pie?” Fluttershy squeezed her hoof.
“What is it?”
“Thank you.”
Pinkie grinned. “I have no idea what for, but you’re welcome.”
“Just for being you. I’m sorry, but I think I want to talk to Rainbow Dash for a little bit, if that’s okay.”
“Oki-doki. Should I just place the bet and then I come back, or should I wait a little?”
Fluttershy eyed the line, which was shrinking quickly. “Maybe a little.”
“Alrighty-mighty!” Pinkie briefly nuzzled Fluttershy’s head. “Good luck.”
Fluttershy summoned all her courage and nuzzled her back. Then she turned around and hurried back to the stands.
She found Rainbow staring at the ground, head resting on her hooves. As Fluttershy approached, she looked up, and just for a second, her gaze reminded Fluttershy of a trapped animal.
“Um, hey, Rainbow Dash.”
“You’re back.” That was all she said before directing her attention towards the arena, where a group of school foals were performing a dance routine to a popular song Fluttershy had heard on the radio.
Fluttershy sat down. “Pinkie Pie will join us later.”
“You missed out on some cool dance moves.” Rainbow’s voice was cracking.
“Oh, I’m sure they were very cool. You see, I talked with Pinkie Pie a little bit.”
“You did?”
Fluttershy shuffled closer to her. “We were talking about Applejack.”
Rainbow stopped pretending to pay attention to the performance in the arena and looked at her. “Why that?”
“Um.” Fluttershy smiled faintly. “Pinkie mentioned something very interesting. She said that, um, that a lot of ponies like Applejack.”
Be bold, Fluttershy, she told herself. “What do you think of Applejack?”
“She’s cool.”
“I find her very, um, nice,” Fluttershy said, then bit her tongue. Bolder! “Attractive. I find her attractive.”
Rainbow gave her a weird look. “Okay?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, this is so embarrassing. But Pinkie said she thinks so too, and so does Twilight. And I was wondering if, um, you maybe have a teeny tiny little crush on her, or something like that? Sorry.”
“I … what the heck, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy winced, but she forced herself to stay put even though Rainbow had just raised her voice at her. “I’m so sorry, I don’t want to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted to say, it’s okay if you do.”
“I don’t …” She puffed out her cheeks, then drew a breath, then lowered her voice a little. “AJ’s pretty hot I guess. But that doesn’t mean it’s a crush or anything, okay?”
Fluttershy sensed that now was the time to hug Rainbow, even though she was still cautious as she did so. Rainbow didn’t budge. “It’s okay to have feelings, Rainbow Dash. We all think Applejack is really, um, pretty. And I think she would appreciate if you told her how you feel.”
Rainbow winced, and Fluttershy hastily drew back. Maybe it wasn’t the time yet.
“And you think Pinkie is ‘really pretty’ too, don’t you?”
Fluttershy blushed. “Um, yes.”
“I’m not jealous!” Rainbow said loudly and unprompted.
“Oh, Rainbow Dash, I’m terribly sorry.”
“What for? I’m doing great?” Rainbow Dash said with tears in her eyes.
“It’s normal to feel just a little bit jealous sometimes. I was also jealous, maybe a teeny tiny bit, when you started training with the Wonderbolts.”
“Really?” Rainbow sniffed. “You know that it’s been my dream since, like, ever.”
“I know. And I’m really, really happy that you are doing it, because I know you are happy. But it took a few days to get used to the idea, and maybe I questioned whether you still wanted to be with me and whether I was doing a good enough job in cheering you on.”
Rainbow looked her in the eye. “I didn’t know that.”
“I should have told you,” Fluttershy said. “But I was too scared you would think I wasn’t happy for you. I'm sorry.”
Rainbow calmed down for the moment, and Fluttershy used that moment to fling her hooves around her.
“Okay, I might be just a little bit jealous,” Rainbow admitted, reluctantly stroking Fluttershy’s shoulder. “I thought I was going on a date with my marefriend, but then Pinkie has her hooves all over you. How am I supposed to feel?”
“I understand that. But you know Pinkie Pie. You know how she likes to get feely-touchy with her friends.”
“Yeah, but –”
“And she was the one who invited us. You can always ask me on a date another time, and have me all to yourself. I’m not flying away, promise.”
Rainbow buried herself in Fluttershy’s chest. “It’s not that easy.”
Fluttershy began petting her hair. She didn’t care anymore that there were ponies around them.
“Do you want to tell me why it is difficult?” she asked softly.
“Because,” Rainbow mumbled into her. “Just everything about it. This whole … feelings thing. I know you want to do romantic date-y stuff all the time, but I can’t. It’s so hard. And if you want to go and hook up with Pinkie, by all means, don’t let me stop you.”
“Rainbow, I don’t –”
“I mean it!” Rainbow freed her head from Fluttershy’s embrace to look her in the eye. She was now crying. “I really wouldn’t mind if you do stuff with our friends. Like, would it be weird?” She snorted a teary laugh. “Probably. But I know you want to cuddle a lot and I know Pinkie also wants that, so don’t think you can’t do that because of me.”
“Cuddle her. Um, yes.”
“Or, you know, other stuff. I don't care.” Rainbow let her head sink back down, and Fluttershy continued the petting.
“But I can’t,” Rainbow said. “And it makes me so mad at myself. It’s so easy for her. She can just … just come along and do things. And I can't. I’ve wanted to cuddle you for all those years, and couldn’t! And now we’re dating and I still can’t do it most of the time. It’s so unfair!”
Fluttershy furrowed her brows. “Are you … are you jealous of how easily Pinkie can cuddle with me? Because you have difficulties with that?”
A groan came from the soggy bundle of Rainbow in Fluttershy’s forelegs. “Of course!”
She buried herself deeper, sinking against Fluttershy’s belly. Fluttershy extended a wing over her back.
“Do you remember how I was when we first met? In flight camp?”
“Of course.”
“Goodness, I was so scared back then. I would have liked to snuggle a little with you. But I couldn’t. Growing up, I was just never told that it was okay.” She thought back for a moment, remembering the burdens of teenage Fluttershy’s life. “But it is. Do you think you would maybe like to cuddle Applejack?”
“Maybe?” Rainbow croaked.
“What about Pinkie?”
A nod, rubbing against her.
“She is really nice to hug, isn’t she?” Fluttershy noted. “I learned that I could do that, hug ponies, if I wanted to and they wanted to. And if I can do it, you can as well. I’m sure Pinkie would appreciate if you gave her a hug when she comes back.”
Rainbow squeezed Fluttershy’s torso. “You’re awesome.”
The school foals finished their routine and left the arena under a big round of applause. Fluttershy kissed Rainbow’s mane and whispered, “I love you too.”
The ponies with the rakes came back, and for a few seconds everything grew quiet. Then the annunciator came trotting from somewhere behind the stands and climbed back up to his place, adjusting his top hat and grabbing the megaphone.
“And we’re back after the break, and thank you to the fillies and colts from the Bogsville Elementary school for that outstanding, er, group performance, we’re back to the race we have all been waiting for, the main event, the Rich Cup. It seems that at the moment the bookmakers need a bit longer to process all the bets, we want to make sure everypony gets their fair chance. In the meantime, let me tell you a little bit about the history of this renowned event.”
He went on about Filthy Rich and his company, and how his daughter wanted a pet bunny for her birthday, but that was when Pinkie came back.
She approached hesitantly, asking Fluttershy with a look whether she should wait longer.
“Look who’s back,” Fluttershy whispered into Rainbow’s ear, before getting up, dragging Rainbow onto her hooves with her.
“These ponies are crazy,” Pinkie said, pulling a bottle of water out of her mane to take a sip. “Crazy!”
“What happened?” Fluttershy asked.
“I’ve never seen something like this. Some ponies from Manehattan are betting five hundred bits on Rubenia.”
“That’s, like, a lot,” Rainbow agreed. “Uh, Pinkie?”
“But that was only the one group! I’ve seen ponies bet lots of money on Sir Snugglepuff as well.”
“Pinkie.”
Pinkie took another sip and put her bottle back into her mane. “Anyway I put five bits on Henry. Yes?”
Rainbow shuffled her hooves. “I, I just wanted to say something.”
“Yes?”
“I’m, um, thanks. For inviting us out, I mean. This is all pretty cool.”
“You like the race? I knew it! I knew this would be the perfect place for a date.” She was about to sit down, but Fluttershy held her back.
“I think Rainbow Dash isn’t finished yet. Or are you?” She turned towards Rainbow, who had assumed a shade of crimson.
“What is it, Dashie?” Pinkie asked. She ducked and stretched her neck in an impossible bend to look into her eyes.
“You’re pretty cool, too. Can I, er, you know …” She gesticulated helplessly.
“Dance with me?”
“No.”
“Bake a cake with me?”
“No!”
“Plan a secret party with me?”
“Can I hug you?” Rainbow blurted out. A few ponies were turning their heads towards them.
Rainbow probably didn't notice, however, as she was obstructed by a pile of pink curls for now.
“Of course, silly!” Pinkie said, rubbing herself against her. “You can hug me anytime you like! Just maybe not when I’m pulling a tray of cupcakes out of the oven because the tray is hot and the cupcakes might fall on the floor but that’s okay, we can make more cupcakes hey do you wanna bake with me some time?”
She held Rainbow for what had to be a minute, alternating between squeezing her and rubbing her back. “You’re a cute cucumber, Dashie. I like you super super super much. I mean, duh, that’s why I wanted to go on a date with you. But I’m also happy to go on a not-date with you, as long as you’re having fun. Hey, the race is starting.”
“Thanks,” Rainbow said. She looked overwhelmed, and was still blushing a little.
The three of them sat down on the bench, and Fluttershy decided to let Rainbow sit between her and Pinkie, snuggling up to her from both sides. She didn’t protest.
The bunnies were already passing the halfway point. At the moment, Sir Snugglepuff and Rubenia, the bunny from Manehattan, were nose to nose at the front of the pack. Fluttershy searched for Henry the Heroic, finding him in fifth place, running just a nose behind a smaller, black bunny.
“And they are fighting!” said the annunciator. “Who will it be? Ponyville or Manehattan? Carrot’s Nine Thousand or Bun Shop? Sir Simon Sunflower Snugglepuff or Rubenia Reverie Roundbottom?”
The bunnies’ little eyes stared fiercely towards the finish line. The other races had been fun and exercise, but this one, this one was serious.
“Meanwhile, Fliederfoot still third, then Pepper, then Henry, no Henry is speeding up, passes Pepper, now in fourth at the tail of Fliederfoot.”
Fluttershy let go of Rainbow to cover her mouth.
“Fliederfoot fighting for her position but Henry passes her too, look at that speed, I’ve never seen anything like this in my life!”
They were only a few dozen yards away from the finish.
“Oh no! Rubenia now in first, Henry second, Flieder third, what is happening to Snugglepuff?”
The bunny was losing speed, and he looked like he was hurting. Rainbow let out a worried gasp at the same time as Fluttershy.
“Snugglepuff falling back to seventh, no tenth place, Pepper trying for second and Henry is closing in on Rubenia, this will be close can he make it –” but Fluttershy didn’t pay attention to Henry anymore, instead staring at Snugglepuff, who was running with a limp.
“There they finish, but who came first? – Flieder third, Pepper fourth, Uno coming in fifth – we’ll definitely have a look at the photo, I believe Rubenia still had her nose ahead an inch – sixth is Handwarmer, then Nanny, Sweetie, Toby, Tony. Ingwer finishing eleventh, Erhard, Joan, and Snugglepuff coming in fourteenth place now, that does not look good, he seems to be injured.”
Sir Snugglepuff broke down behind the finish line, immediately swarmed by his competitors. Fluttershy could see Rubenia nuzzle his head repeatedly, and the small black bunny called Pepper comforted Henry, who seemed to be rather shocked, until finally Carrot Top came running into the arena, flanked by two veterinarians.
“You girls wanna go down to the stables and see how he’s doing?” Pinkie asked. Rainbow, who looked pale under her coat, nodded. The three of them jumped onto their hooves, and without another word rushed out of the arena.
The stables were busy post-race, veterinarians and staff and bunnies all running around in a frenzy. They found Carrot Top in a large tent amid folding tables with transport cages and food bowls.
As it turned out, Snugglepuff had torn a muscle in his paw, though it was still unclear how severely. One of the veterinarians promised he would be fine in a few months, though Carrot said that he might not be able to run a race again, since he was too old and it would be difficult to get back in competitive shape after such a long break.
They remained at the stables while Carrot went to see the results. Fluttershy went around and talked to the bunnies, explaining to Pinkie what they were saying. They were a colorful bunch – a lot bred and trained within the stable, but also some who had joined later in their lives. Their experience with the sport seemed mixed. The ruthless, often violent practices that Fluttershy had heard of did seem to find appliance in other places, but they all agreed that Carrot’s Nine Thousand was a good stable to be and seemed happy to live their life doing what they loved.
Meanwhile, Rainbow sat with Snugglepuff and talked to him. While she did not speak bunny, she could offer her heartfelt sympathy as a fellow athlete, as well as an inspiring speech about not giving up. He looked a little less smitten afterwards.
Carrot Top came back with more cheerful news. Apparently, Henry had pulled off the win against the bunny from Manehattan just by a nose-width. They all cheered and went to congratulate him.
He wasn't much of a talker, but the way he looked at Fluttershy with pure pride and gratitude melted her heart. She told him that she was very proud, and to make sure to take care of himself and not push himself too hard.
Pinkie offered to collect Fluttershy’s money, which she gratefully accepted. She stayed with Rainbow Dash to explain to her in detail what Pinkie had told her about her feelings.
“I don't know. You said that it would be okay if I, um, did things with her?”
Rainbow Dash shrugged. “Yeah? I really don't think it would be a big deal.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.” Rainbow gave her a devious smile. “What kinds of things do you wanna do with her?”
“Um.” Fluttershy hid behind her mane. “I think I would like trying to kiss her. If that's okay?”
“That's all? I mean sure. You're still going to kiss me, though, right?”
“Of course!”
“See, then it's no problem. Maybe ...” A hoof appeared in Fluttershy's vision, peeling aside the curtain of her mane. “Maybe we should do that more often, actually. What do you think?”
Fluttershy looked up. Rainbow cupped her cheek with her hoof, meeting her eyes with a spark of something she couldn't identify. Something wild and daring and exciting.
Fluttershy closed her eyes and felt forward with her muzzle, until she found Rainbow's lips.
The kiss carried much more passion than she anticipated. She made sure to return every bit of it, showing Rainbow just how much she loved her, how much she wanted to be hers.
As they parted, she was a little out of breath. Rainbow Dash usually didn't show her affection this directly, but it felt good. Very good.
She thought about what Rainbow had asked. Was it all she wanted from Pinke? The offer to cook together came back to her mind. “I would like to spend more time with Pinkie, I think. And from there …”
It was hard to imagine. But there had also been a time where it had been hard to imagine Rainbow Dash as anything else than a friend.
“Even if Pinkie and I only remain friends, that would be alright, and I’m sure it will still be nice to spend time with her. But maybe ... maybe I would go out with her.”
Rainbow smiled encouragingly. “Sure.”
Fluttershy leaned against her. No matter what would happen, it felt good that they could talk about it like this, and that Rainbow wasn't angry or sad or jealous.
“Can I ask you something too, then?” Rainbow asked after a while.
“Of course.”
“I don't know what she will say, but if somehow I end up hooking up with AJ, would that be cool with you?”
Fluttershy smiled, imagining the two for a moment. They would definitely be cute together. “I think so.”
“Should I, like, ask you again?”
“You don’t have to. But it would be nice if you could maybe tell me if that happens. Just so I know.”
“Of course! Awesome.”
Pinkie Pie returned soon. As it turned out, only four other ponies had placed bets on Hippity-Hopp Henry the Heroic, and even though Pinkie had only placed five bits on her behalf, Fluttershy was taking home over three hundred bits. She was reluctant to take them at first, since the stake had been Pinkie Pie’s.
“It was your bet,” Pinkie insisted, “and also I can’t take it because that would technically mean I'm betting again and that would be really bad for me.”
Fluttershy thanked her and took the money, glad they weren’t outside where ponies might have stared at the small stack of twenty-bit bills she received. She decided that she would donate the money to cover Sir Snugglepuff’s medical bills.
They said their get-well-soons to Sir Snugglepuff, as well as goodbye to the other bunnies and Carrot Top, and went to catch the cart that would take them home.
“That was so much fun!” Pinkie cheered, and then went on to describe how excited she was for the rest of the way home. Fluttershy let her talk, snuggling up to her leg, half out of affection and half out of fear of falling off the ride.
As she noted with glee, Rainbow was doing the same on the other side.
They stopped at the old rotting sign, where they said their goodbyes. Fluttershy fought with herself for a moment, ultimately finding the courage to plant a chaste kiss on Pinkie's cheek. Pinkie grinned from ear to ear and returned the gesture, leaving a faint, moist sensation on Fluttershy's coat.
Her face felt hot, and a warm buzzing rose in her chest like a swarm of humming birds. Next time, she resolved, she would go a little further than a kiss on the cheek.
They parted ways, Rainbow staying with Fluttershy to walk her home. They walked next to each other through the birch pollen, quiet, the sunset warming their backs.
A few ponies were outside, trying to catch some more sunlight, couples and old folk and ponies walking dogs. Near the edge of town, foals played in the ditch, wrestling each other, their squealing piercing the evening air.
Fluttershy smiled, and said hello to all the strangers passing by.
Then they took the fork to her cottage, and it got quieter.
“Hey, Fluttershy?”
Rainbow Dash’s mane was glowing in the low light.
“Yes, Rainbow?”
“Do you think we could do something with Pinkie again? Maybe meet somewhere a little calmer? You know, where we’re a bit more in private.”
The outskirts of the Everfree came into sight. Soon she would be home.
“We could invite her to my cottage. Oh, I would like something like that. We could play board games. Maybe cuddle together. If you want to, that is?”
Rainbow blushed deeply. “Sure. I’m down.”
A train ride away, in Canterlot, Twilight Sparkle leaned against the warm body of her lover, accepting the comfort offered by a large, pristine white wing as they snuggled under the blanket.
“I wonder how Pinkie is doing,” she said absently. It was the first time she had the headspace to think about her since arriving in Canterlot. But now that she did, she could not help but be anxious about how her marefriend's date had turned out.
“I mean, she was so excited and I didn't want to bring her down. I'm just not sure how Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash will take her advances. It sounds good in theory, but she can be a little rash. Maybe I should've stayed and went with them.”
“I would be sad if you had,” her lover purred. “I would not have liked to miss out on today.”
Twilight giggled. “Me neither. But I'm still worried.”
Celestia pulled her closer and planted a loving kiss on her forehead.
“Knowing Pinkie Pie, I'm sure she can handle it.”
