Love is such a delicate gift. Yet, love can be stronger than any substance in the land. However, to keep it strong, one must dedicate oneself to another. To feed it loyalty and kindness. Honesty and generosity. Without these particular elements, the answer is only heartbreak. For love requires these items for it to blossom and flower.

And that has happened in the few years in Ponyville. For a young pegasus mare with a mane of many hues, had found somepony to make her complete. Their love was tested through the events of before. Through the war of the Pegasi Lords. But now, their love is stronger than ever.

Also, a few others have joined the joy of love. A sweet young pegasus, who is also the bearer of the element of kindness, has found a sweet and caring side of the eldest brother of the Apple family. For two ponies equally quiet, together, they are most sweetest couple. Who have also combined their love. For now, they are one. The shy pegasus is now the wife of the strongest stallion in Ponyville. Leading their own lives together as they live in a small cottage, close to the mare's old home-which was transformed into a animal home-so she could still carry on her job.

Not only that, but the current owner of Sweet Apple Acres has also found love in a quiet stallion. A family friend. Who has become more than a friend to the apple mare.

As it was said by the ruler of the Crystal Empire, love is a beautiful thing. But also a deadly weapon.

~~~~~~

Zipping through the sun lit sky. Passing through fluffly, white clouds as she flew. Leaving nothing but a fading rainbow trail behind her. Her strong, cyan wings pushing her further. Making her go faster and faster as she cut through the air.

However, instead of a face of determination, cockiness and confidence, was look of pure worry. Her mind set to panic. Fear painted on her face.

She was trying to avoid him. She didn't want to. But she had no choice. He would have left her. Angry at her.

"Stupid mare!! I didn't ask for this!! Why would you do this to me?! I can't be tied down!! I am a free stallion!! You're on your own!"

Was the thought, throbbing throughout her mind. Worried that he would say that. Scared that he'll leave her.

"I. Hate. You."

Was what made the strong mare cry. Her rose orbs spilling with tears. Until her eyesight grew blurry. But she didn't care. She just wanted to hide. To get away.

In order to hide, she had to keep a low profile. However, this was not the case. For she smashed through an eclipse window, in a hollowed out tree. She crashed through the window, shattering the glass. And fell upon the hard, wooden floor.
The pony downstairs was snatched from her thoughts as the noise echoed through the tree.

"Hello?" The pony called out. Who was clearly a mare due to the high, feminine voice. But as she called out, her voice was filled with, worry, fear and concern.

"It was probably just the wind, Twi. The window must have unlatched again." A younger, boyish voice mumbled. However, the mare refused his idea.

"No. It was too loud to be the window unlatching again, Spike."

"Whatever." Spike walked off, as his small feet lightly thudded against the creaking wood. But slowly, the mare walked upstairs. She heard a gasp of pain in her room. And quickly trotted up. She hesitated to knock on the door.

"Hello?"

"T-T-Twilight." The pegasus croaked from inside. Choking on her own tears. The violet alicorn's eyes snapped open as she realised who the pony was inside. Quickly, she opened the door and gasped at the sight.

"Spike!! Get the first aid kit!! Quickly!!" Twilight Sparkle shouted. A thudding of feet rushed upstairs as the short dragon came up. Clutching a white box with a small red cross upon it.

"Why? What's happe- oh holy guacamole!! Rainbow Dash!!" Spike yelled. As he saw the mare in the room.

Shards of glass coated the floor. Along with a few specks of blood. A large piece of shattered glass was sticking out of the cyan mare's leg. As well as a smaller piece in her side. Scarlet red blood dripped from her wounds and her nose. And her tears streamed down her face. She staggered as she struggled to get up.

"I-I-I'm so sor-ry, Twilight. I-I-I didn't...I didn't mean to." Rainbow croaked. Whimpering as she felt the glass dig through her flesh.

"Don't worry. Spike. Clean up, and I'll get Rainbow patched up." Twilight ordered as she took the box. Spike grumbled as he grabbed a dust pan and brush. The alicorn trotted over to Rainbow and began to gently pull out the glass. Carefully, she wrapped a bandaged over Rainbow's bigger wounds, and placed a small wet cloth upon the small cuts. The pegasus hissed through her teeth as the damp cloth met upon her injuries.

As she gently dabbed the cuts, Twilight saw that her dear friend was crying. But kept her head turned away.

"I'm sorry if it hurts, Dash. I'm usin-"

"It's not that." Rainbow interrupted. "It's....it's something else." She looked up at her friend with tear filled eyes. Twilight saw that something was troubling the young mare. Something deep.

After the broken glass was put away, and Rainbow's injuries were cleaned up, Twilight sat beside her cyan friend. With a look of concern.

"Spike. Go and see Rarity. Or go to Sugarcube Corner. There's a couple of bits in my desk drawer. Just stay outside for a while. Okay?" Twilight pointed to her desk. Which was covered in books. The short dragon rolled his eyes as he opened the drawer. Scooped up the golden coins and left the library.
"Thanks, Twi. I'll see you later." He waved as he shut the door

Twilight waved as she watched Spike leave. And sighed as she turned to Rainbow Dash.

"I'll pay for the window. I don't have any money yet. But on my next assignment, I'll give you all of money that Celestia gives me." Rainbow croaked. Staring at the floor.

"No, Rainbow. You don't need to pay. Anyway, the window was broken already. You've just given me an excuse to have it looked at." Twilight smiled. But her smile faded as she watched her friend cry.

Throughout the years, Rainbow has shown her emotions to the ones she calls family. For an assassin, it was a sign of weakness. Which Rainbow finally admitted. All the sorrow, guilt and pain she had bottled up exploded within one hour. It used to be rare to find Rainbow Dash, the fast flier in all of Equestria and the coolest pony ever, crying. Wailing. Sobbing. To see that her heart had been broken was the most horrific sight. For a pony as strong as Rainbow, assassin or not, her heart was more fragile than the weakest glass. It troubled her friends to see her so hurt.
But now, she no longer cries to them. She finds her tears rolling down the shoulder of her special somepony. A strong, ice blue stallion. With a cocky, goofy smile, gleaming emerald eyes and handsome, dark blue windswept hair. And finally, a heart. A loving, caring heart. Which he poured for his lover. Rainbow Dash.
They were the perfect couple. Their actions in sync. Their thoughts connected. They loved each so much, that it just couldn't be measured. They matched together like a pair of shoes. They loved to fly. To feel the breath of freedom as they glided among the clouds. The adrenaline as they fell to ground, before zooming upwards. Mere inches from the ground. The ponies of Ponyville loved watching the free couple as they span around and twirled in the sky. The girls felt happy for them as the two walked around with their tails twizzled together like a swirly marshmallow. To see the two pegasi who had been through so much heartbreak, and to see them together, laughing, giggling, kissing would bring a smile to anypony.

But not right now.

Soarin hadn't been seen in days. Everyone just assumed that he was at Cloudsdale, practicing for a show. But when ponies did see him around the quaint town, he was looking for his beloved. Asking questions about her whereabouts and zooming around for her. The ponies of Ponyville often heard him calling out for her, like a lost dog. He hated that Rainbow Dash was an assassin. As that meant she waa very good at hiding. Not even Pinkie Pie could find her. Which worried Soarin more and more.
About two days ago, he was about to give up. But after a lectur from Big Macintosh, he carried on looking for her.

The girls were also worried about the two. And how Rainbow was constantly avoiding her lover. It made Twilight very concerned.

"Rainbow. What's wrong? You've been avoiding everyone for too long. Especially Soarin." Twilight placed her violet hoof upon the pegasus mare's back.

"There's nothing wrong." Rainbow croaked. Still turned away from Twilight.

"Have you two had a fight or something? Cause runaway isn't going to help. You need to ta-"

"I can't, Twilight. I can't." Rainbow interrupted. Tears streaming down her cheeks, and splashing to the floor.
Twilight watched her friend's tears as they fell. Unable to say anything.

"Why not?" She eventually asked.

The cyan pegasus sniffed. But did not turn around.
"....it's....it's complicated."

"Rainbow. I'm your friend." Twilight moved closer and hugged her friend. Her eyes fell upon the cyan mare's stomach. It looked slightly larger than usual, but it was barely visible. She pushed it aside as she comforted her friend. "You can tell me anything." She hushed.

"No." Rainbow pushed the violet hoof away, and stood up. "I've got to go." And before Twilight could realise, the distraught mare opened her wings and zoomed out of the library. Twilight attempted to grab her tail, but fell to the floor with a thud.

"Ow." She muttered. Staring at the fading rainbow trail. Troubled by the events.
~~~~~~

"Ah'm very sure, Soar. Ya'll a nice stallion." A large, red pony smirked as he pulled a heavy wooden cart, holding tons of apples.

"Of course, you are. You and Rainbow Dash are just so happy. You two are perfect for each other." A butterscotch pegasus added. "You both love each other, don't you?"

"We do. I mean, I do. I don't know about Rainbow." The ice blue stallion sighed. Slouching to the floor. The two other ponies watching in concern. "She's been avoiding me. I don't even know why."

"Well, she is an assassin, Soarin." Fluttershy fluttered over to the stallion. And so did, Big Macintosh. "She's just probably doing her duties. I mean, she does have the weight of protecting Equestria on her shoulders."

"I know. But, I don't think it's that. She's avoiding me. She running away from me. Why?" Tears began to form up in the pegasus stallion's eyes. "Do you think she's cheating on me? Does she have another lover?" He croaked.

"No! Nonono! Rainbow will never cheat on you." Fluttershy shook her head.

"And how would you know?" Soarin's chest began hurt again. Like it did the other day, when he saw Rainbow. He waved at her with a big smile, but she quickly flew away. Leaving him heartbroken.

"Rainbow is loyal. Very loyal. She will never leave. Especially if she has grown attached to you. Soarin, Rainbow Dash may have a very complicated mind and heart. But once you have got hold of her, and once she has let you in her life, she will never leave. She loves you, Soarin." Fluttershy smiled sweetly at the Wonderbolt. Placing her her yellow hoof upon his chest. "Rainbow Dash has never been in a proper relationship before. In school, they left her. Saying she wasn't their type of mare. Saying that she wasn't pretty enough. And even though she put on a show at school, saying she didn't care, it hurt her so much.
Soarin. You have taken Rainbow into your life. You've held her. Hugged her. Laughed with her. Shared love with her. But most of all, Soarin, you've placed her heart together. And kept it strong. Please, she hasn't given up on you, so please, don't give up on her."

Soarin stared at the yellow hoof before looking up at the two reassuring smiles of his friends.

"Soar. Ah may ave only met ya two years ago. But I can see clearly that tha two of yah, are perfect." Big Mac added.

"You're a strong stallion. And she was just a broken soul. Until you helped her. Find her, Soarin. Use your instincts and wings to find her."

Soarin nodded. Wiping his tears away and picking up a small velvet red box beside him.
"Thank you. Thank you so much." He hugged the two ponies before flying off it the open sky. The two ponies below watched as he flew away. Smiling to themselves as they knew they helped their friends.
~~~~~~

Author's Notes:

We are back in business!! Not going to say much, but I hope you enjoy the story.

A good sequel for Hearts and Hooves day

Thank you for reading!