My Little Pony: Friendship is Mythic

She woke up.

It was still daylight aside, but barely. The sun was going down.

Rainbow Dash rubbed her face with her hooves. How long had she been asleep?

She hadn't meant to fall asleep. She hated it when she did, but sometimes she couldn't help it.

She fell back into bed, resting her head on her pillow. Stretching out, she let out an exaggerated sigh of contentedness. It was a comfy bed, lying in a comfy room. The bed was more than big enough for two, and the shades over the window were nice and thick, to block out the sun.

It was a comfy room in a comfy house, and the house was always clean and perfumed. Unlike the other location she found herself spending most of her nights, this house didn't smell like a bakery. Blegh. Bakeries. Rainbow Dash stuck out her tongue. She had smelled a bakery so much, even thinking about cakes and cookies and doughnuts made her stomach turn. Some nights, she would come home reeking of it. It made her sick.

This place just smelled like a nice house, and it was a very well-decorated house at that.

Rainbow Dash put her arms behind her head and plomped back onto her pillow. So soft and fluffy. The pillows were always soft and fluffy, here. The covers were always warm and welcoming.

And Rainbow Dash loved welcoming covers over a comfortable bed.

She sighed, contently. Rainbow Dash was becoming familiar with this house; she was spending more and more time here. She never had to wonder why.

And that was when a pleasant aroma wafted through the door and into the room. Rainbow Dash inhaled deeply. Food. It smelled delicious. She rolled out of bed and got on her hooves, trotting out of the room. The path to the kitchen was short. It wasn't a large house, but it wasn't the smallest either. When Rainbow entered the kitchen, she saw her.

She was a cream-colored mare, with a split-colored mane and tail. Split-colored manes always got to Rainbow Dash. She loved them, and this particular split-colored mare was particularly lovable. Quite the homemaker, this one. Her mane was a combination of pink and dark purple, and she had a few pieces of candy as her cutie-mark. That was her day-job. She made candy.

She was, currently, standing at the oven, stirring a pot of something delicious-smelling. Another pan of something delicious-smelling cooked on the burner next to it. She hummed softly while she cooked.

Rainbow snuck up to her and put her arms around her waist, saying, playfully, "Why didn't you wake me up, Bon Bon?"

Bon Bon was taken completely unawares. She shrieked a little when Rainbow Dash grabbed her. When she regained her composure, she said, laughing a little, "Rainbow Dash! I hadn't expected you to be awake so soon."

Rainbow giggled and said, "Surprised you, huh? Whatcha cooking?"

Bon Bon went back to stirring, and she said, "Oh. Nothing much."

Rainbow Dash said, excitedly looking into the pot, "No, really! What is this? It smells great!"

It was a dandelion and hay stew! Rainbow Dash let out an excited squeal. She said, without taking breaths, "Ohmygod! My favorite! How did you know?!"

Bon Bon blushed and laughed happily, saying, "You told me a couple of nights ago, remember? You told me that dandelion and hay stew in a sunflower broth was your favorite food. Your mother used to make it for you."

She snuggled up against Rainbow Dash some, rubbing the back of her head against Rainbow's chest. She said, "Remember? We were at the store."

Rainbow Dash thought for a moment, rubbing her chin, then she said, "I thought I said that to Pin-"

Then she immediately stopped herself, frowning.

Bon Bon rubbed against her, saying, "To who?"

Rainbow laughed nervously and said, "No one. I was confused. Yes. I totally remember saying that to you. Silly me." And then she let out a small peal of fake laughter.

Bon Bon extricated herself from Rainbow's grip and resumed stirring the pot. Her cheeks were red, and she said, "Oh, you're so silly. Anyway, I thought it would be nice if you had your favorite dinner, tonight."

She turned and looked at Rainbow Dash, saying, "You are staying for dinner, aren't you?"

Rainbow's eyes went blank, and she gulped. She said, "Dinner? Tonight?"

Bon Bon looked at her and giggled, saying, "Yes, silly. I'm certainly not cooking for tomorrow night. Don't you want to eat, tonight?"

The blue pegasus laughed nervously and said, "Yes. Why wouldn't I? I'd love to eat here, at your house, tonight."

Bon Bon just smiled contentedly and started tending to what was in the pan. She said, "Great! Then I was hoping we could watch a movie, afterwards. Something romantic, if you don't mind?"

Rainbow laughed nervously, again, and said, "And a movie? All of that, tonight? Are you sure?"

Bon Bon just looked at her and walked forward, putting a tender hoof on her chest. She said, "Of course, tonight, Rainbow." She looked the blue pegasus's face and said, softly, "Do you have other plans?"

Rainbow just looked at the hoof on her chest and then into Bon Bon's eyes, saying, "Uh...No. Of course not. I was just hoping to get a good night's rest." Her heart was thumping, and she smiled anxiously.

Bon Bon said, smoothly, "Oh, really? I was hoping to give you a great night's rest after that."

Rainbow gulped and said, "Really? After that?"

Bon Bon giggled and said, "Yes, really. I know that a big strong athlete like yourself needs a good night's rest so that she can work hard the next day. I was hoping to help get you to sleep. Is that okay?"

Rainbow's voice left her for a few moments. When she spoke, all that came out was a cracked squeak, "Yeah. That would be great. I'd love to watch a movie. I don't have anywhere to be tonight."

Bon Bon then tapped her on the chest and swirled back around and resumed tending to the food, saying, "Excellent. Then why don't you just go into the living room and relax. Leave dinner to me. I'll let you know when it's ready."

Rainbow just nodded and said, "Okay, then. All right." She turned around and walked out of the kitchen. She walked into the living room and plomped down onto the couch, thinking.

All night? Here? She couldn't do that. What would she tell Pinkie? She couldn't just show up in the morning and not have a great reason. Pinkie was expecting her, tonight. Staying at Bon Bon's that long was bad. She put a hoof on her chin. Then again. Bon Bon was great. Pinkie never did anything like this. Dinner and a movie? And then...

Rainbow giggled and smiled. She couldn't help herself. She could come up with something. It didn't have to be great. Pinkie wasn't THAT bright. Rainbow could come up with something that Pinkie would believe. It wouldn't be that hard. How could she pass up on a wonderful night like this?

Bon Bon was a great mare, and she was all too generous, in more ways than one. Rainbow couldn't miss an opportunity like that. That's why she spent so much time over here. How would Pinkie know? Rainbow would just say that she was out all night training and just slept at the gym or something. Easy-peasy. Nothing could go wrong. Pinkie was stupid, even if she was nice.

Maybe she could eat less junk and get in shape, like Bon Bon was, then Rainbow would be more interested in her. Not that she wasn't interested in her. Pinkie was a nice mare and all. She was just not...all there. She really was like a child, sometimes. It wasn't that attractive. Maybe some mares liked having someone that they had to take care of, but Rainbow wasn't one of them.

Rainbow nodded, relaxing and sighing contentedly. That settled it. She had a late night at the gym. Had to stay competitive. You know how it is. Pinkie wouldn't know the difference. It wouldn't be hard. What would they be doing tonight, anyway? Talking and shit? Rainbow never had fun at Sugar Cube Corner. Pinkie just wasn't...fun to her. Rainbow almost never enjoyed herself around her.

She sprawled out on the couch. No. This was the life. Chilling in the living room while the best mare in the world cooked a wonderful dinner for you. This is what Rainbow wanted. Not the shit that she had waiting for her back at Sugar Cube Corner.

She closed her eyes and relaxed. After a short while, Bon Bon called out from the kitchen. Dinner was done. Rainbow immediately sat up and bounded towards the kitchen.

When she got there, she saw the table was set for two. Two bowls of stew and some side dishes. A tall glass of water for Bon Bon. A frosty glass of beer for Rainbow Dash. It really was a romantic set-up. It all sat on a square table cloth, with napkins. A candle rested in the middle of the table. Bon Bon was lighting it when the blue pegasus entered the room.

The cream-colored mare looked at Rainbow and said, dramatically with a bow, "Dinner is served."

Rainbow smiled and sat down at the table, staring at all the delicious food before her.

She said, "This looks great!"

Bon Bon smiled and sat down across from her, saying, "Thank you!" She fluttered her eyelashes and said, "I made it all for you."

Rainbow just laughed nervously and said, "Well thanks! I appreciate it. You did a good job."

Bon Bon pulled her chair up and said, "Well, then. I'm sure you're hungry. Let's eat."

Rainbow didn't need to be asked twice. She immediately began to dig in, shoveling huge spoonfuls of stew into her mouth. It tasted so delicious. Bon Bon was such a great cook! Spoon after spoon disappeared down her gullet. She took breaks from swallowing only long enough to devour chunks of bread. After only a few seconds, half of her bowl was gone.

Bon Bon just watched, smiling contently. She giggled, saying, "My, Rainbow Dash. I didn't know you were so hungry."

Rainbow slurped up more stew, saying, in between bites, "Man, Bon Bon! This is good! Where did you learn to cook like this?"

Bon Bon giggled again, blushing slightly. She said, "Oh, my mother taught me a few things. Most of it is things that I picked up over the years."

Rainbow picked her bowl up and drained the rest of the broth. Slurping loudly and wiping her mouth off with her arm, she said, "Well, keep up the good work! I haven't had food this good in a long time!"

Bon Bon just laughed softly. This is exactly what she dreamed of, when she was a little filly: sitting across from the table from the mare of her dreams, having a romantic dinner. She really did love it.

Their eyes locked. Bon Bon had never stopped smiling, and she let out a little laugh when she saw how much of a mess Rainbow's face was. She reached out a napkin across the table and said, "You have something on your face."

Rainbow just wiggled her eyebrows and said, "So why don't you come over here and clean it off for me?"

Bon Bon dropped the napkin and drew back her arm, giggling like a little filly and saying, "Rainbow! Not right now."

The blue pegasus took the napkin and wiped her face, saying, "So when, then?"

Bon Bon blushed deeply and said, slyly, "Later."

Rainbow just smiled and took a bite of bread, saying, "Well, then. I'll have to take you up on your offer. I wouldn't want to miss that."

Bon Bon just giggled again and rested her cheek on a hoof, saying, "Rainbow..."

The blue pegasus just smiled and said, "So what do I have to do to get more of that delicious stew?"

Her partner just said, "Tell me about your day."

Rainbow's mood instantly changed. She gulped, loudly, and said, "What?"

Bon Bon said, "Tell me about your day?"

Rainbow said, "Why?"

The cream-colored mare giggled and said, "Because I want to hear about it, silly. Is there something wrong with that?"

Rainbow shoved the rest of her roll in her mouth.

Bon Bon said, "You never talk about yourself. I just want to hear you. Just talk. I'll listen."

Rainbow's eyes shifted. What had she done the previous day? She had worked out and...done some stuff with Pinkie.

She lied and said, "You know...I just...I don't know. I just trained some and then hung out with Fluttershy."

Bon Bon arched an eyebrow and said, "Who?"

Rainbow smiled. She said, "She's one of my friends. She lives on the edge of town. She takes care of animals and...stuff."

Bon Bon finally touched her food, delicately sipping a spoonful of stew. She said, "Stuff?"

Rainbow said, "Yeah. You know. She doesn't do much. She just spends most of her time taking care of her pets and stuff. She does charity stuff, too."

Bon Bon looked impressed. She took another sip from her spoon. She said, "How long have you known her?"

Rainbow just smiled and said, thinking, "Well, I guess you can say that we kind of grew up together. We've known each other since we were little fillies."

Bon Bon dipped some bread into her stew and took a bite of it, saying, "When do I get to meet her?"

Rainbow's face fell, and she panicked a little bit, inside. Stupid stupid stupid. Why did she bring up Fluttershy? Or anypony, for that matter? She said, "Well...I...uh...You know. She's just so busy all the time." Rainbow put a hoof behind her head and laughed nervously. She said, "I don't ever get to see her, myself. It's been ages."

Bon Bon raised an eyebrow, questioningly and said, "I thought you said you saw her yesterday."

Rainbow gulped and said, "Oh yeah! I did!" She laughed, "Silly me. I meant that I hadn't seen her in ages before then!"

Bon Bon put her spoon down and put her head in both of her hooves, resting her elbows on the table, and she said, "So when will you see her next? She sounds like a wonderful pony. I'd really love to meet her. I want to starting meet all your friends."

Rainbow gulped heavily and said, "Really? You want to meet ALL of them?"

The cream-colored mare just giggled and said, "Yes, silly. Of course. I want to be a part of your life. Why wouldn't I want to meet your friends?"

Rainbow just laughed nervously and said, "Yeah! That makes sense! Why wouldn't you?" She put an enormous hunk of bread into her mouth, trying to stall for time while she thought of something to say.

Bon Bon just laughed and sipped a spoonful of food, saying, "Rainbow! Don't eat so much at once! It'll give you a tummy ache."

Rainbow just mumbled a muffled agreement and kept chewing.

Bon Bon got up and said, "Why don't I get you some more of this delicious stew to wash that down with?"

Rainbow just nodded vigorously, still trying to chew.

The homemaking mare picked up Rainbow's bowl and walked over to the pot, ladling more food into it. Rainbow watched her as she did so, panicking the whole while. She really needed to change the topic of conversation. She had absolutely no intention of letting Bon Bon meet ANY of her friends. Going out in public with her would only end in disaster. Of that, she was completely sure.

By the time Bon Bon got back to the table, Rainbow had completely finished ingesting her enormous bite of bread. She looked as Bon Bon put her bowl back in front of her, then the mare sat back down in her own seat and put her head on hoof, staring at the blue pegasus. Bon Bon's eyes were thick with affection and dreams, and the smile on her face was one of pure happiness and joy.

Rainbow gulped, again and started shoveling more stew into her mouth.

Bon Bon said, "So when do I get to meet her?"

Rainbow said, hesitantly, "Who?"

Bon Bon just giggled and said, "Fluttershy!"

The blue pegasus just shrugged and said, nervously, "I don't know. Sometime."

Bon Bon said, teasingly, "Sometime? Why? Are you ashamed of me, Rainbow Dash?"

Rainbow just laughed and said, "Haha! Ashamed of you?! No way! Why would you think that!"

Bon Bon giggled and said, "I'd hope you wouldn't be embarrassed by me. I want to get along with your friends. So when do I get to meet them?"

Rainbow put her spoon down and stretched her arms, yawning overly loudly and saying, "So! Bon Bon! I'm stuffed! Aren't you stuffed?! How about that movie!"

Bon Bon pushed her bowl away and said, "Oh! Done already! I'm done, I guess. We can watch it now."

Rainbow stood up from the table and began to pick up her dishes. Bon Bon ran over to her side of the table and started picking them up, instead, smiling and saying, "No no, sweetie. I'll clean up. You just got relax in the den. No sense in having a hard-working mare like you waste her energy on housework."

Rainbow just smiled and said, "Really? Okay. No complaining here."

She just trotted off, to the living room, as Bon Bon began to pick up the dishes and clean up the table.

What a wonderful mare, she thought. She felt a little guilt. Bon Bon was so sweet and nice. She really felt bad, having to treat her like she did, but now wasn't the time to be with her in public. No one could know. She didn't want Pinkie or any of her friends finding out. That would end in disaster.

The blue pegasus heard felt a little heavy. Maybe this was all wrong. Maybe she just needed to sit Bon Bon down and tell her the truth. Or Pinkie. It really wasn't fair to either of them, how Rainbow was acting. Maybe she needed to be honest and just face the consequences, but she really did like both, although she was favoring Bon Bon a little more than Pinkie, right now.

Maybe she really did need to be honest with everypony. To be loyal, so to speak. Loyalty was really important to her, after. She would really hate it if either of them was treating her like she was treating them. Maybe she needed to be honest.

Then she just smiled, lazily, and said, "Nah." Then, she dove down on to the couch and spread on it, relaxing.

Maybe later. Not now.