Words could not do justice to the sheer joy that Rainbow Dash and her friends felt on the day she had finally gotten a letter of approval from the Wonderbolt Academy. It was a dream come true. Congratulations echoed loudly from Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack and Twilight Sparkle almost harmoniously with one another. What made it all the better was the smiling glance Dash had shared with Rarity at that moment from across all of her other ecstatic friends.
Neither of them needed to say a word. It was a moment of mutual acknowledgment that only the two most ambitious ponies amongst the six of them could share. There was more to it, however. Dash could never forget what Rarity had done for her that one night, which now seems so long ago. In hindsight, it was a little embarrassing to think about, but she'd never let go of that memory for anything. Who could forget when the least likely among your friends becomes not only your driving source of inspiration, but somepony with whom you could share a connection altogether deeper?
It's almost like it had all happened yesterday.
It was a pleasant, moonlit night in Ponyville, and Rarity was just closing shop as usual. It had been quite an exhausting day there at the boutique, but the unicorn pony was content all the same. It gave her such a rush that she hardly felt ready to turn in for the night.
"I suppose I've earned the right to treat myself." Rarity gleefully thought to herself, as she busted out a bottle of red wine and curled up into the living room sofa with her favorite romantic novel. Just as she was done pouring herself a glass, somepony came knocking at her door. As unusual (and somewhat inconvenient) as it was at such an hour, far be it from Rarity of all ponies to be uncouth and not answer the door. The knocking continued until she heard a familiar voice.
"Hey, Rarity. You there?" asked her guest through the window.
"Rainbow Dash, darling, what brings you here so late?" Rarity replied as she opened the door.
"Uhh, I KINDA needed to ask you a favor, but I wanted to wait 'til everypony was gone. Is it okay if come in?" the pegasus pony pleaded rather uncomfortably.
Rarity was confused, but concerned as to what her friend needed, let alone what was making her so noticeably secretive and uneasy. The wine and reading could wait, and it's not like she was really tired anyway.
"Of course, dear. Come right inside and take a seat" she said as she lead Dash into her home.
Rainbow dash and Rarity sat across the living room table from one another, before the unicorn pony asked, "Now, darling. what was it that you needed?"
Dash leaned forward and spilled, "Well, I..was wondering if you could squeeze in a last minute request...and set me up with a nice dress. I know I'm asking for a lot right now...it's just...I've got somewhere really important to be tomorrow afternoon, and I'd REALLY appreciate your help."
"Rainbow Dash, It's..."
Rarity stopped herself. She knew it was too late at night to possibly take on such a task, but this was possibly the first time she had ever seen Rainbow Dash so bereft of her usual confidence and zest. The Pegasus pony's expression was rather blank, her posture was slouched, and she was behaving so oddly. Dash was obviously in something of a desperate situation, but more-so something else was bothering her. Where did she possibly need to be, on top of all that?
"Forget it. This was just dumb of me. I'm really sorry Rarity. I'll just go" Dash said as she got up, ready to leave.
"Dashy, Darling, it's quite alright. I must admit I'm still rather wired and you should know how expansive my wardrobe is! I'm certain I could find something you'd simply die for." Rarity insisted.
"Thanks, Rarity. Just make sure it's nothing too pretty, ok? Anything nice will suit me fine." Dash replied as she tried to force a smile.
Rarity chuckled.
"Well, beggars can't exactly be choosers, but I'll see what I can do!"
An awkward silence ensued afterward, as Rainbow looked downward and walked quietly to the dressing room, with Rarity right behind grabbing everything she needed for the work ahead of her.
Nearly an hour of fitting had passed, and Rarity was still deciding on which spring dress would suit her friend's coat, mane and measurements, all which she was still taking careful account of. Normally Rainbow Dash would have been fidgeting about like mad at this point. This time was different. She was not only standing still but remained completely quiet the whole time. You could hear a pin drop.
"So, Rainbow Dash. Where exactly are you going tomorrow? Are you meeting somepony, perhaps?" Rarity asked, finally having worked up the nerve to break this excruciating silence.
"It's just personal business. I really don't wanna talk about it." Dash replied.
"Will you be by yourself, then? Have you told Twilight, or any of the other girls about your plans?"
Dash frowned, "Yes and no. "
The room fell silent again. Rarity continued to work, but also pressed on to get to the root of whatever was upsetting Rainbow Dash.
"Dashy...you don't seem to be yourself right now. What is the matter?"
Dash averted her gaze to the side and sighed, "It's nothing. I'm fine"
"I really do wish you'd talk to me sometimes." Rarity said, pouting as she scrolled through her wardrobe.
"Rarity... "
"I know we typically don't have much time for each other, but I'm not any less here for you than our other friends when you need somepony. You believe me, don't you?" Rarity asked, rather desperately.
Rainbow Dash finally caved in and answered as she tried on another outfit.
"The Wonderbolts are going attend a little league, exhibition race in Fillydelphia, as spectators. After that their supposed to attend a party for the Governor's son. It's nothing big, but it's an opportunity, and I figure it's finally time I go for it, y'know? I've got to confront them face to face. I need to show them and everypony else I deserve to be a Wonderbolt, no matter what I have to do. I have to find out if they ever thought I was ever good enough to begin with."
"Darling, wherever did you get it in your head that anypony thought you weren't good enough?" Rarity asked, with her attention now fully fixed on Dash.
"You all seem so happy with yourselves and yet this past year I've still seen you guys aiming higher all the time. You've made friends in such high places, and after the Canterlot wedding, your business has never been better. I've always been there to protect Fluttershy, as if she were my little sister, and I should feel happy that she's grown so strong and assertive as of late. But I just can't get over the fact that there'll come a time when she just won't need me anymore. Twilight came to Ponyville a wormy teacher's pet. True, that teacher happens to be the princess, but still. Since then she's pulled us all through so much, since then, made so many new friends, and not to mention is technically frickin' royalty herself, now. Pinkie and Applejack, on the other hand have always been happy where they are, and with what they have. They've found their place. "
Rainbow Dash lowered her face, unwilling to let Rarity see her eyes start to swell, as she continued.
"I'm not happy just staying where I am forever, though. I have dreams, Rarity. I have dreams that could take me all over Equestria and beyond, but nothing I do ever seems to bring me any closer to what I want. Do you really wanna know why I never told any of the other guys about this?"
Rarity sat herself next to her Dash, noticing tears run down her face.
"It's because I couldn't face any of them like this. To break down in front of friends who respect and admire me. I didn't want them to get the wrong idea, either. Chasing my dreams means moving on. Leaving Ponyville and all of my friends behind, like they're the problem, when it's just me. I don't want that anymore than I want to spend the rest of my life never knowing what I could have made of myself!"
Dash couldn't go on anymore. Her face was drenched in tears, yet she would not bring herself to cry aloud. Rarity was taken aback by all of this. She had never realized Rainbow Dash had bottled up so much inside like that. The unicorn pony levitated a handkerchief from the cupboard and cleaned her friends face.
"I'm sorry. I should go." Rainbow Dash said.
Rarity abruptly embraced her, holding Dash's head just below her muzzle as they both began to tremble.
"Just who is it that you think has motivated Fluttershy to be a stronger pony from the start? Who else can Pinkie Pie have so much fun being around with. Who is most loyal among us when Twilight needs help, and keeps Applejack on her hooves, driving her to do better, even as content as she may be with what she has? And most of all, who's the Pony to whom I owe my very life to? Don't you dare disregard how important you are to all of us, Rainbow Dash. I will not have it!"
Dash looked up at her.
"Furthermore, why on Earth would you think we wouldn't be behind you 100% if you were to go chase your dreams right this very instant. We are your friends, that will never change no matter how far apart from us your aspiration takes you. We would never doubt you for even a second."
"Rarity..."
"And lastly, you are more than good enough. You don't need immediate approval to join the Wonderbolts to show how talented you are. You're going to succeed, because that is who you are, Rainbow Dash. You'll do it no matter how long it takes, because you've never given up before...You can't. You're a great pony, and a wonderful friend, so just stop." Rarity stopped as she began to sob.
"Rarity!?" Rainbow Dash immediately picked herself up, realizing how she had unwittingly made her friend feel.
"Rarity, I'm sorry. Everything is going to be alright. It's just something I've needed to get off my chest for a long time. I'm ok, now. I really mean it!" She said desperately.
"You're just saying that!" Rarity cried.
"You're the first pony I've ever admitted all of this to. You don't know how badly I needed to get all this out, and you picked me right back up again, even when I put out a lot for you to handle. I'm not saying things are gonna be easy from here on out, but I think I can at least manage myself, now."
Dash brushed Rarity's hair from her face, as well as her tears clean from her cheeks.
"Thanks, Rarity." Dash said as they two exchanged slow smiles toward one another.
"I just don't know how you do it. You've always had that certain something that makes everypony want to talk with you, and open up. I guess I never took the time to appreciate that about you until now."
"...alright, but next time try not to be such a drama queen, darling." Rarity joked, collecting herself.
"Oh, like you're one to talk!" Dash replied.
The two slowly busted into laughter, until Rainbow realized how much time had passed.
"Jeez...4 AM, already. I really ought to get going." Dash said.
"Why not stay the night? My sofa is quite comfortable." Rarity replied.
"You sure it's OK?" Dash asked
"Oh, just sit down and relax, already!" insisted Rarity as she sat Dash down on the sofa as she made her way to the kitchen cabinet.
"You're right...Thanks Rare..." Dash said as her eyelids grew heavy.
"I was actually just about to have some wine before you had come along. Would you like a glass, darl-?"
Rarity stopped as she noticed Dash had fallen straight to sleep.
The Unicorn pony smiled and placed a blanket over her, suddenly admiring how adorable (if not lovely) she looked as she slept. She would never admit it, but since that fateful day at Cloudsdale, Rarity had harbored some significant feelings for Rainbow Dash, but always perceived that Dash could never quite feel the same way. The two of them had always been worlds apart, their interests and personalities being so drastically different, and all. At best, she could merely save a place in her heart for Dash, and do everything in her power to make her happy, as would for any of her friends. Nonetheless, Rarity knew she had become something more to her that night...if not a lover, then somepony she can turn to and rely on for emotional support. That, at least for the time being, was good enough for her.
"Goodnight, Dashy" Rarity said, kissing Dash's forehead as she finally decided it was time for bed.
Rainbow Dash woke up the next morning to find the Boutique was closed for the day. Confused, she looked around, finding Rarity knitting away at what seemed to be the dress that she had decided would be best for her.
"How long have you been up?" Dash asked.
"Oh, no worries at all, Darling. I just wanted to add some final touches to this before you head off, today." Rarity replied.
Rainbow Dash looked down and then to the side.
"Rarity...I've kinda' changed my mind about the whole thing...I'm not going to that exhibition race, nor the dinner party anymore." She admitted.
"Rainbow Dash!? That's absurd! What about the Wonderbolts!?" Rarity gasped.
"What about 'em? There will be much better times to make an idiot of myself in front of my heroes, right?" Dash immediately replied.
"But, Darling...I worked hard to pick this dress out for you, and..."
"Actually, I still wanted the dress...I was just wondering if maybe..."
Dash's began to blush, swallowed deeply and asked, "If you'd like to come to Manehatten with me, so we could go do something else, together?"
She never felt so embarrassed and nervous talking to a Mare as she did then and there.
Rarity's blushed deeply. She could have never anticipated this in a million years.
"I was just thinking about what you said, Rare. We never really spend much time together, and I...well, I wanna change that. I owe you at least that much for what I put you through last night. If you don't want to, it's ok. You DID kinda close up shop to finish that thing up for me didn't you? I could only imagine how pissed you must be at me right now for flip flopping like this."
Rarity's heart was beating a mile a minute. Those feelings she had for Rainbow Dash, which she had deeply suppressed and kept hidden for so long were all starting to resurface. She hadn't felt such a rekindled sense of longing in her life. Nevertheless, she wanted to keep her composure.
"Rainbow Dash...I'd love to." Rarity complied.
"Really? Awesome! I guess, I should get you an extra ticket then. So, I'll pick you up later?" Dash asked, with a look of jubilation and relief on her face that Rarity was overjoyed to see again.
"Dashy. Do you mind if I tag along on the way to the train station?" She asked.
"Uhh...Sure, but what about the dress?" Dash asked.
"What about it? We can always finish when we get back, can't we? There's no need for such formal wear between us is there? Besides, I need to get out of this place for a little while anyway. Just let me touch up a little. I'll catch up if you need to get there in a hurry."
After Rainbow Dash agreed and went on ahead, Rarity glanced intently at herself in the mirror, catching her breath and contemplating where she was going to take things from there. She needed to tell Rainbow Dash how she felt. As the unicorn pony applied her cosmetics, the fear of rejection, let alone of things not working out between them lingered in her mind.
No...Rarity couldn't be so selfish as to let those kind of thoughts hold her back. Rainbow Dash had finally opened up. She poured her heart out entirely, last night, in spite of the embarrassment she must have felt. That day, it was the unicorn pony's turn to do the same.
Rarity met Dash whilst she was already halfway back from the train station.
"Jeez, what took you so long, Rarit-!?"
Rainbow Dash was taken aback mid-question by how lovely Rarity had fixed herself up.
"I'm sorry to have kept you...Why don't we go wait over by the lake until our train begins boarding? I have something very important I'd like to talk to you about." Rarity pleaded.
"Sure. Is everything okay?" Dash asked.
Rarity smiled at her and replied, "Yes, Dashy. Everything is just perfect."
