I don’t know about this.

Maybe I should just leave. Do I really like Soarin? He seems nice enough and he is cute.

He’s also late.

Maybe he got cold hooves. I can’t afford more than one drink in this place, I’m really gonna have to nurse this one. At least my room is really nice…and paid for! Now I just gotta figure how I’m going to afford to eat. I have my Equestrian Express card; I guess I could charge everything…

Wow, Rarity was right, this is quite the place. No! Could that be…? It looks like George Stephanhoofalis, the reporter, wow! Who’s he talking to? That hair looks familiar, is that…? Woah! Is it? He’s talking to Harshwhinny from the games! WTF? Small world. Should I go over there? I wonder…nah, they’re having-oh, he saw me staring; now she’s turning around. Ohmygosh she’s waving me over!! I gotta finish this drink fast.”

“Ms. Dash! What brings you to Manehattan?”

“Uh, well, just some sightseeing, you know…”

“Oh, I’m sorry, George – this is Rainbow Dash, Rainbow Dash, George Stephanhoofalis. Rainbow competed for Ponyville in the Equestria Games.”

“Oh I know this little filly. She did pretty well as I recall.”

“Wow, you actually know me?”

“Well who could forget that mane?”

Oh my face is so warm, I know I’m blushing! Damn it!

“Uhh, thanks. Ms. Harshwhinny really got it all done what with all the work setting up the games. It was great working with her.”

“Yea, she’s something else.”

“Oh you are too nice.”

“Well I have to get to the office. I’ll leave you two fillies to chat. Pleasure to meet you.”

“Yeah, me too, Mr. Stephanhoofalis.”

“Call me George.”

“Okay George, See you later-”

"Sure Rainbow. Have your friend there bring you by the studio. I'd love to show you around. See you later"

"Yeah, will do.

Cool!!

“So Ms.Dash, sightseeing? Your outfit is amazing! Very cosmopolitan! You look,,, stunning.".

"Aw gee, thanks. Rarity made it for me. It is pretty cool"

"So, what have you seen so far?”

“Just the inside of my room and this place. I just got here today. Actually I’m supposed to meet somepony here for dinner.”

“Oh really? It’s quite a place. They must be somepony special.”

“Yea, well actually they’re kinda late, it’s kinda ticking me off.”

“I know what you mean. I hate tardiness! What’s so funny?”

“You would so get along with Twilight. She hates to be tardy. Besides, it’s a funny word – it just cracks me up.”

“I guess it is kind of funny. I remember Princess Sparkle. A very nice pony.”

“Oh yeah, we’re pretty tight.”

“So, it looks like your glass is empty. Would you like another? It’s on me.”

“Yeah, sure, thanks..

"Great. If you don’t mind my asking, whom are you waiting for?”

“Oh, well, it’s kind of funny. I think it’s this pony from The Wonderbolts.”

“Oh, really? Which one?”

“Soarin. Well I’m not even sure it’s him…”

“What do you mean?”

“Well I got these letters, love letters. He didn’t sign his name, but I’m pretty sure it’s him. I did some checking up and found out that the Wonderbolts are doing an exhibition show up in Flankers. It’s just north of the city, in Witherschester County. It’s only about 15 miles away. He could get here in no time. But it’s already 7:45. I guess he changed his mind.”

“Oh, that’s a shame. So what can I get you?”

“Oh, nothing. You know what, I feel kinda beat. I think I’ll just go to my room.”

“Oh, Ms. Dash, please don’t. And don’t look so sad... and don’t be ridiculous - you’re having dinner with me. My treat!”

“Really? Wow that’s really nice.”

“Well you were such a help at the games. And who knows, he may show up anyway. Excuse me - Waitress? Oh hello Bella, I didn't recognize your new hairstyle. Is my table ready? Thank you. So, Ms. Dash - shall we?"

"Allons-y"

"Ah, Parlez-vous prançais mademoiselle Dash?"

"Wha? Eh no-ay vous - it's just something this friend of mine in Ponyville always says..."

"Ah, I see. How is this table?"

"Wow, this is really nice! Very private and what a view! And these seats are really comfortable..."

"I'm glad you like it Rainbow."

"Wha? Who-wha?"

"My voice?"

"Yeah! Where's the fancy accent? The bored sound.. the, eh, harsh-whinny? Your voice is so nice. It's soft and... do you sing?"

"Thank you. Well, a little."

"Can you say "Professionalism Ms. Dash?"

(laughing) "Professionalism Ms. Dash, we must maintain professionalism."

"WOW! It sounds so sweet. It sounds more like you're asking or advising me and not commanding me. And your face, - you don't look all pissed, oh, sorry, angry like you usually do."

"It's okay to say 'pissed off,' I'm a big pony. I know all sorts of words. I never get tired of your directness"

"I-I just can't get over it! It's so melodic and sweet and even..kinda sexy."

"That's really nice to hear. It's the voice I was born with."

"You know who you sound like?"

"Let me guess - Princess Luna?"

"Yeah! How did you know?"

"Tia -eh-Princess Celestia told me that when we met at the games, actually Luna did too."

"Wow, and they would know- so what's with the harsh - whinny? The whole fake front? Oh, is it okay for me to call you Lovingcup? I mean if we're having dinner together it's kinda weird to be calling each other Ms Dash and Ms Harshwhinny."

"No,"

"Oh, I'm sorry"

"Lovingcup is actually my middle name. I'd prefer it if you would call me by my first name."

"Oh! Sure - All I know it it starts with H. We all kinda wondered what it was..."

"I'll bet you had some interesting guesses too... Oh don't worry, I get it all the time."

"Cool. So what is it?!"

"Harmony"

"Harmony?! Really? None of us ever guessed that."

"I'll bet (laughs)"

"So what's with the whole Lovingcup Harshwhinny?"

"Well as I said this is the voice I was born with. My parents both sang as a hobby and one time when they were changing me they were singing and supposedly I started cooing in harmony. So they gave me the name. I guess they never thought about how it sounded with my last name."

"Yeah, I guess not."

"But the kids in school did..."

"Oh, yeah, I bet."

"So I started using Lovingcup, and when I was in school I watched how I spoke."

"Kids at school can really be ass- jerks"

"You were right the first time."

(laughter)

"But you're outta school now- why the whole voice/attitude thing?"

"Well, I went to this finishing school, and I was taught that unless you were tough, you wouldn't get anywhere in the world. I don't look tough and I wanted to get somewhere, so I practiced the 'scowl,' the 'voice' Ms. Dash! And the attitude! Will you kindly refrain from looking around the room for the rich and famous? It's very un-professional!"

"Yeah, that's the Harshwhinny I know."

"Yes, you and the rest of the world. I have to say, it does get results. When you're in a room full of politicians and their ego's who are fighting for the right to host a major sports event, you need a way to keep them in line. Ms. Lovingcup Harshwhinny can. Harmony Harshwhinny? Not so much..."

"But like you always have to be 'on.' You never let the wall down."

"Not if I'm going to command their respect. If they see Harmony, it's all over."

"So why are you being Harmony with me?"

"Being Ms. Harshwhinny takes a lot out of me. I figured what the hay - you'd probably understand."

"Yeah, I think I do. I just gotta get used to it."

"Maybe I can help- what are you drinking.”

“Well I was having wine, but what I’d really like right about now is a Maregerita.”

“So order one.”

“No, Trotquila makes me crazy…”

“Oh Bella? Would you bring us two top shelf Maregerita’s? Oh, Rainbow, do you like salt?”

“Yeah.”

“…yes Bella, salt on both.”

“Okay…but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

"Okay (laughing I'll be sure to... hey - what's the matter Rainbow?"

"Uh, nothing. I was just thinking about being stood up. I guess I..."

“Wow - where is that confident Rainbow Dash? I guess we're both a little different than we let others see. It’s so odd to see you in anything less than a confident and self-assured manner. I was waiting for a business associate who it seems had better things to do as well, so I figured why not have a girls night, right?”

“Yeah, right!”

*-----------------------*

“Wow, those are some Marenen- Marnen, Marger-gritas. Sure glad I don’t have to fly!”

*laughs*

“You’re a pretty amazing flyer, I bet you could fly even after a few Marenengritas. You know I had a roommate at the school who used to try to fly drunk. This one time we’d had a big party and after she’d had a couple a’bunch she insisted she could fly. Well we had this huge industrial clothes dryer at the dorm. We told her we would let her fly if she would sit in the clothes dryer blindfolded while we spun it for 3 minutes...”

“You’re kidding! Wha-happened?”

“After 3 minutes she begged us to turn it off.”

“Did you?”

“No, we didn’t have to. We’d never turned it on! She came out a lost her chips and dip all over the laundry.”

“Ahhhhahh! You are too funny! So she didn’t fly?"

“Are you kidding? She was afraid to walk! So my little flyer, how is your oatsteak?”

“Amazing. The fries are the best I’ve ever had. That fillet of wheat looked good, how was it?”

“They’re famous for it here. It was delicious.”

“I bet you go everywhere, travel all over Equestria, meet famous people, like George. It must be pretty awesome.”

“Well it can be fun, but you really can’t have a personal life. I have a tiny apartment in Baltimare, actually the Games committee owns apartments all over Equestria and I am usually in one of them.”

“So, uh, are you…”

“Married? I was. I divorced him 2 months after the Equestria Games. I caught him with his secretary. Actually it was my secretary. I thought she was being so helpful with all her trips to the house to pick up my papers if I forgot them or to take care of my laundry. Turns out she was taking care of a lot more than that.”

“Oh, hey, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“No, it’s okay. It was a bad time. I found out then that I-uh well, I really didn’t have any friends to turn to. I thought Ivy - my secretary- was my friend. After it all came out, I found I had no one. All I had was business associates and people from the different towns, cities and empires."

"Aw, hey, what's with the tears? It's okay - I can't believe you don't have a lot of friends. What about George?"

"A business acquaintance. I kept thinking about you and your friends and how you were so close to each other. I would give anything to have somepony in my life like that.”

“Yeah, well, we’re kind of special.”

“I know. You can rely on each other. I thought it was sweet that the Princess helped out your little dragon when he froze up at the opening ceremonies.”

“Oh yeah, Spike? He’s a cool little guy but he just froze up.”

“You should give him some lessons in self-assurance.”

“Who me? I guess I am pretty sure of myself. Like you.”

“No Ms Dash, you have the wrong pony there. I hide my insecurities behind myyyyyyyy shoooooowwww vooooooiiice. I think it’s why I use that ridiculous voice. If I ever stop working I’m afraid I’ll find out how sad I really am.”

“You should so come out to Ponyville! We all thought you were great.”

“Yes, especially your friend – Fluttershy was it? I happened to catch her little impersonation of me. I was going by your suite during the games...”

“Oh, heh, yeah,”

“Don’t worry, I thought it was adorable. And pretty accurate as well…”

“Oh, good. We really do like you. Especially the CMC’s”

“Ah yes, the little fillies who carried your flag? They were amazing.”

“Yeah, they are. They’d never seen a real businesspony before. They were very impressed. I gotta say, you really are amazing. Organizing all that stuff. Especially the last minute – like setting it up so Spike could sing that song…hahha”

*Laughs* “Yes, Talk about uncomfortable. I wanted to crawl under something.”

“I know how you felt sister - it went on and on and on…”

“…and on and on… you know Rainbow - I don’t know who I felt worse for. The team from Cloudsdale, him, or me.”

“I know, I felt pretty bad for everypony. You must have been glad when it was all over.”

“Well I left the games just in time to get home for my divorce.”

“Oh, yeah. I hope you screwed him good.”

“Not well enough, apparently.”

*Laughter*

“It’s nice to know I can still laugh with friends. I hope I can call you a friend.”

“Hay-yeah!. Like I said, if you come by Ponyville, we’ll do it up. Me and the girls will show you the town, not that there’s much to it. I mean it ain’t no Cloudsdale, Manehattan or Canterlot, but it’s home.”

“Maybe I will one day...”

“Hey, why the sad face? What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know. Just the blues, I guess. I think I knew I had a problem in my marriage but I just kept plowing into my work. I was too cowardly to face it. It would force me to face my life, which is just, well sad. I guess that’s why. In fact I was on my way home to surprise him with two tickets to for a couple of weeks in Scotland. Just the two of us…when I discovered the two of them. Needless to say, he had a bigger surprise for me.”

“Oh, that really sucks. I’m sorry, I mean-“

“No you’re right. It really sucked.”

“So what now? Are you going to Scoltland?”

“Well the tickets are open. It's aboard a beautiful cruise ship - the Princess Luna. I can go anytime I guess, but I’d kind of planned on seeing it with him, you know?”

“Awww, hey, come on, it's alright, don't get all upset. - you deserve way better than him. Hey if your really desperate I'll go with you.”

“That’s very sweet of you to say. I feel kind of like one of your friends.”

“Hey you are. Maybe we could be the Mane 7?”

“And what would I be? The spirit of micro-managing?”

*laughter*

“Now, that is funny. It’s also kind of Twilight’s job. Hey we got you laughing again. See, it ain’t all that bad.”

“No I guess not.”

“Wow, what time is it? Like everyone is gone. Woah, it’s like 11:30!”

“Yes, so it is. I suppose I ought to pay the check and let the staff go home.”

“You know Rainbow, it was one of the more pleasurable meals I recall having in quite some time. Where are you staying - maybe we can share a cab?”

"Uhhh, let me rem- oh yeah, at The Carriage House. It's up near the park."

"You're kidding! The Games committee has several rooms there. It's where I stay when I'm in town. Quite a few companies lease space there."

"How cool is that? Maybe we can meet for breakfast. I’m not sure if I’m going to hang out tomorrow or go home. Are you going to be around tomorrow?”

“I don’t really know. I doubt it.”

"Ah here we are Rainbow. What floor is your room on?"

"The twenty second. Where are you?"

"Our rooms are on 12."

“Cool, well thanks for dinner and I can’t wait to see you in Ponyville.”

“Oh, yes, perhaps I will visit one day.”

“Can’t wait. Goodnight.”

“Rainbow?"

"Yeah?"

"Do me a favor, will you?”

“Sure thing, what is it?”

“No matter what happens, don’t ever change, stay bold and brave and sweet and remember that you cheered me up when I really needed it.”

“Will do. ‘Night”

“Good night Ms Dash.”