Sassaflash emerged from the bathroom dressed in blue jeans and a grey cotton t-shirt, but with no shoes or socks. She was furiously scrubbing at her damp hair with a towel, her look of perturbation still firmly in place as her amber eyes locked onto Pinkie Pie like she was a cobra ready to strike.

“Y’know, when I imagined us meeting again,” the vice captain said warily to the party planner. “I envisioned something less messy. And terrifying.”

Pinkie tilted her head to the side as Rainbow snickered behind her. “What did you picture instead?”

Sass shrugged. “Maybe a tumbleweed going by as we walk through a deserted town to meet in the middle for a rematch of that last rock, paper, scissors battle we had?”

“A rematch? Why didn’t you say so in the first place, silly?”

The vice captain made a face. “Because you shot cake batter at me!”

“Oh. Yeah. I guess I can kinda see how that would stop you from asking.”

“It’s kind of low priority right now, anyway,” Sass said, shooting a glare at Rainbow as her soccer captain could no longer contain her peals of laughter. She said next to Pinkie, “So how does this work, anyway? Can I do abbreviations? Can I write or text curses? Can I think about curses? What if something sounds harsh, but is generally not considered a curse? What if I’m having sex and something slips out in the heat of the moment? Can I make crude hand signals at least?”

Spitfire peered at Sassaflash over the rims of her sunglasses as Rainbow finally started to calm down next to her. “Sassy,” the midfielder said with some bemusement. “I think you might want to ask your questions a little more--”

Pinkie, who had been tapping her chin in thought, suddenly started to speak, making everyone jump: “No, no, yes, depends, definitely not acceptable, and yes.”

Rainbow blinked. “Hold up--you mean I could have been giving people the bird this whole time!?”

Her high school friend glowered at her. “The point of the promise wasn’t to find loopholes, Dashie. It was to keep our friends from sounding and acting like jerks!”

The tomboy scowled as she slouched. “Yeah, but…”

“I can’t believe I can never curse again,” Sassaflash said mournfully.

Spitfire looked at Pinkie. “Pinkie, Sassaflash made that promise without understanding the consequences. Can’t you let her off the hook? Just this once?”

Pinkie crossed her arms and turned her nose up in the air. “Nuh-uh! No-can-do, Spitfire! Rainbow may have baited Sassaflash, but she did warn her what would happen! People should take promises more seriously! The world would be a better place if they did!”

Sassaflash sighed heavily.

Rainbow stood and went to throw an arm around her vice captain’s shoulders. “Aw, cheer up, dude! Look on the bright side,” she said. “At least now I’m not the only one who has to come up with creative ways to say ‘sex’ without sounding like a dork.”

Sass’ lips thinned. “How is that supposed to cheer me up?”

Rainbow chuckled and smirked. “Well it makes me feel better.” At her friend’s dark scowl, the tomboy squeezed her shoulders. “But seriously, it’s not that bad! Once you get used to it, you start to feel classy.”

Sassaflash looked at her with big hopeful eyes. “Do you really?”

“No,” Rainbow Dash snickered. “But hey! When I made my no-curse promise the first time, I negotiated for an hour with Pinkie Pie on letting us have two light swear words. Crap, and damn.” She looked at Pinkie. “Does that apply to Sassaflash too?”

The party planner screwed up her mouth in thought. “Hmmm…” After a few seconds, she bobbed her head rapidly. “Okey-dokey! I guess that’s all right.”

Rainbow grinned at Sassaflash as if she’d just fixed her broken down car on the side of the highway. Sass looked back at her like the pet cat who had brought a dead mouse home. “Gee thanks,” the vice captain muttered.

“Well this has been fun,” Pinkie said with an apologetic grin. She thumbed at the door. “But I have to go. Someone was kinda waiting for me.”

Rainbow Dash followed her to the door. “Oh! Well, lemme walk you out. I need to tell you some stuff,” she glanced at Spitfire and Sassaflash, who were gazing after them curiously. “Er, in private.” She tilted her chin at her teammates. “Spitfire, I’ll see you. Sass, I’ll be at the captain’s meeting, no worries.”

Pinkie Pie blinked, but smiled nonetheless. “All righty!” She turned and waved at the other girls, one hand on the doorknob. “Bye, Spitfire! I’ll tell Maud you said hi. And bye, bye, Sassaflash! We can do a rock, paper, scissors match later. Till then,” her eyes narrowed menacingly, “Be gooood!”

“Later, Pinkie Pie. Captain.” Spitfire said with a casual wave from her bed.

Sassaflash shivered and retreated to the bathroom without a word.

Rainbow chuckled as she followed Pinkie out the door.

“So what’s still on your mind, Rainbow Dash?” the party planner asked.

They started to walk down the hallway. Rainbow’s smile waned. “Um. Yeah. So back in there, I asked you all those questions about what was going on with you, right? Well one of those was about a text I sent you. Did you even get that?”

Pinkie bit her lip and looked down. “Yeah…”

“So why didn’t you answer?”

“Because Rarity is safe at the sorority house. You and Fluttershy already took care of her. I’m going back soon, anyway. She’ll be okay till then.”

“Till when?” Rainbow snapped, her smile now completely gone. “You know Rare’s been having nightmares. Just what the heck is going on, Pinkie Pie? Why has she been wigging out? And why didn’t either of you tell the rest of us?”

“She made me Pinkie Promise, Rainbow,” Pinkie said, her shoulders sagging. They stopped at the doors to the main lobby. Pinkie said next, her eyes tensed with reluctance. “Although…”

When she didn’t continue Rainbow Dash glared at her. “Come on, out with it! Fluttershy is worried, and so am I! If she keeps acting all wiggy, something serious is going to happen! Refusing to sleep is no joke!”

Pinkie Pie squeezed her eyes shut. “Rarity made me promise not to say what her dreams were about, but…but she didn’t make me promise not to say what might have caused them! I just feel icky about saying it. It still feels like I’m betraying her somehow!”

Rainbow sighed and put a hand on Pinkie’s shoulder. She squeezed. “Pinkie, we’re her friends too. You guys can’t go through this alone, especially if you have new health stuff you’ve got to worry about. Just tell me. Please?”

Pinkie looked at her. Her ordinarily bright blue eyes seemed a duller shade. “Rarity was mugged.”

Rainbow stiffened. She let her hand drop from Pinkie Pie’s shoulder and squinted her eyes. “Rarity was mugged?”

“Yeah. It happened two months ago.” Pinkie slouched, her brow wrinkling. “It really, really shook her up, Rainbow. Rarity was so embarrassed. You remember those self-defense classes she took? She says it was like she forgot everything. The guy pulled a knife so she couldn’t even get her gem out to pony-up.”

Rainbow’s fists clenched. “Who did it!? Did she make a police report? Did they find the guy? Was it just one?”

“It was just one.” Pinkie stared through the lobby doors to where a group of students lounged on couches and sofa chairs. Her arms hugged her torso. “It’s taken care of.”

“Good!” Rainbow snarled. She leaned back hard against the adjacent wall. But after a long pause, something occurred to her. “Hey, Pinkie?” she said. Her face lengthened. “The cops arrested the guy, right?”

Pinkie glanced at her. “Nope.”

Rainbow’s eyes widened. “But you said it was ‘taken care of’.”

Pinkie Pie held open the door to the lobby. She wore a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Yep.”

Rainbow Dash didn't go through the entryway, her gaze staring deeply into her friend’s face. Pinkie didn’t waver under the attention. The athlete’s face relaxed and she clapped the party girl on the shoulder with an approving nod. Then she went out the door, with her friend close behind.

Fluttershy had received a text from Rainbow saying that she’d come to pick the pre-vet up at eight o’ clock. Star Weld had also called during her work break to let her know that he wouldn’t be able to pick her up from work that night. It wouldn’t be a problem per se--she could catch a bus in time to get back home and get ready for her night out--but it would be a tight squeeze. When she clocked out, she sighed to herself.

I was hoping for a little more time to prep. My hair needs a wash, and I still don’t know what I’m going to wear. I hope Angel isn’t cranky…

The bus ride was long and boring, leaving nothing for Fluttershy to really distract herself with. She tried watching cat videos on her phone, but even cute kittens playing with cotton balls couldn’t keep her mind from conjuring up nightmare scenarios.

What if something got caught in her teeth and she didn’t catch it? What if she offended Rainbow by paying for herself? What if she offended Rainbow by assuming that she wouldn’t have to pay for herself? Should she wear a skirt? But what if she got cold?

On and on it went until she arrived at her stop and made the short walk home. So distracted was she, that it wasn’t until she closed the front gate behind her that the voice penetrated her realm of awareness.

“Fluttershy! Hell-ooo!” Rarity said in a high melodic voice, vaguely strained with exasperation.

Fluttershy jumped, her eyes going wide as she clutched her purse to her chest like a shield. “Rarity!?” she squeaked.

The fashionista pouted at her. She was dressed in a black halter top dress and matching gladiator sandals, though her make-up was unusually low-key for the typically dramatic girl. Fluttershy blinked at her appearance. The pre-vet was far from the fashion interpreter that her friend was, but she couldn’t deny that her haute-couture instincts were picking up on a definite note of aggression in her friend’s clothes.

Shy attempted to cover up her bewilderment with a warm smile. “Rarity! It’s good to see you!” she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. “Oh, goodness! Have you been waiting long?” She looked at her phone. “I didn’t miss a call or a text from you, did I?”

“No, darling,” Rarity said, a sheepish look crossing her face. “I know it’s a bit rude to drop in, but I only just rose a short time ago. After I ate, Junebug informed me of what you and Rainbow Dash did.” She straightened her spine, and frowned. “I must say, I was quite cross with myself for having worried you two so much!” She growled and stomped a foot. “And then I got a text from Pinkie Pie of all people!”

“Pinkie? What did she say?”

“Nothing!” Rarity fumed. She crossed her arms and tapped her foot rapidly. “Three days of complete and utter silence, and all she texts back to me is…” her face screwed up, and she said with effort, “‘Don’t flip, potato chip.’” She threw her hands up in the air, one curl falling out of place. “I am not a potato chip!”

Fluttershy couldn’t wait any longer. She hurried forward and hugged her friend. Rarity stiffened in her arms.

“I’m sorry!” she gushed. “You looked like you needed it. I’m also just happy to see that you’re all right!” She bit her lip. “Though…” Fluttershy pulled back with a wince. “While I’d love to hear more, I am sort of pressed for time. You see, Rainbow Dash is taking me out tonight.” Rarity’s eyes went wide, a hand slapping over her mouth. The animal lover felt a bolt of panic shoot through her and waved her hands. “N-no, it’s not what you think! She says she’s taking me out to say thank you for the project!”

But Rarity was starting to bounce on the spot. “Fluttershy! Oh, Fluttershy! I am so happy for you! When is she coming?”

Fluttershy hunched her shoulders and looked down at her work shoes. “Eight o’ clock.”

Rarity gasped. “B-but that’s so soon! Oh my dear, you must get ready!”

“I know, Rarity. That’s what I--”

The fashionista zipped behind Fluttershy and started pushing her toward the door. “Ah, ah! Enough talk! We have a big night to prepare for!”

Rainbow Dash was not nervous. She wasn’t. She was sweating because it was hot. That was it. It didn’t matter that the top was down, a girl could still get hot under such conditions. What was it? Sixty-five degrees out? Yeah. That was muggy, right?

The tomboy smoothed her button-up shirt’s lapel for what must have been the hundredth time. She’d considered wearing a blazer over it, but she reasoned that even if she rolled the sleeves up it might look a bit too dressy for a trip to Sugarcube Corner.

You promised Fluttershy casual. Showing up looking like a fashion model would be no better than turning up in a tuxedo. Besides, you’re in the damn car and halfway there already, so stop freaking out like a wuss!

Rainbow gritted her teeth and struck her steering wheel as she drove into Fluttershy’s neighborhood. “Come on, Dash. It’s time to rock this!”

When she pulled in front of Fluttershy’s house, she leapt out of her car with a whoop, hopped the fence, and practically pounded on the front door. It was on the third strike of the wood that she froze, her brow tensing.

Idiot! This is a date, not a soccer game! You’ll scare her!

Rainbow rubbed the back of her neck and reached a hand up to knock more softly. The door swung open as her fist went through the air--

--And landed squarely on Rarity’s forehead.

The athlete jumped back with a yell, her eyes wide and her hands karate chopping through the air. “Holy--! Rarity!? What are you doing here?”

Rarity winced and rubbed at the place where Rainbow had rapped her head with her knuckles. “Hello to you too, Rainbow,” she groused. After giving her friend a reproving look, her expression quickly shifted to one of mischief. “Disappointed it’s just me?”

Rainbow blushed. She tugged at her shirt collar. “Where’s Fluttershy? We had plans!”

The fashionista leaned in the doorway, her lips tilting in a smirk. “I just came by to say hello. Fluttershy is putting on the last touches of her outfit.”

“The last touches?” Rainbow said with a hint of alarm. “I told her this was going to be casual!” As she said this, she looked down at herself.

Damn it! I should have worn the blazer!

Rarity giggled behind a hand. “My goodness! One would think you were nervous!”

“I am not nervous,” Rainbow snapped, unbuttoning the top of her shirt with more force than necessary. “Are you going to let me in, or are you going to make me wait out here like a chump?”

Her friend’s smirk only widened as she stepped aside. Rainbow Dash glowered as she crossed the threshold into the cramped living room. Because she wasn’t looking where she was going, her knee struck an end table. “Ow!” She pulled a foot back as if to kick the furniture. “Stupid--!” but she managed to stop herself in time with a shake and a rough exhale.

Cool it. You need to be calm. You need to be-- Rainbow froze as her eyes fell on a large flower arrangement just in front of the couch.

“What the heck is that?” she said, pointing.

Rarity shut the door behind her. “You mean the flowers?”

“Yeah!”

“Those were here when I arrived!” the fashion designer appeared at the tomboy’s side, her lip pouting. “I was so busy helping Fluttershy that I didn’t stop to ask. It looks like a gift!”

Rainbow scowled. “From who?”

Rarity flipped both hands in a Devil if I know gesture.

This made the athlete’s lip curl. Star Weld wouldn’t be getting namby-pamby flowers like this. So it must have been for Fluttershy. She couldn’t help it. Quick as a rabbit, she snatched up the card. Her scowl deepened at the name on the front. “J.B.? Who is that?” She glared at Rarity.

“J.B.?” Rarity said, her nose wrinkling. Then her eyes widened. “Oh that’s--!” She looked at Rainbow Dash suddenly, the corners of her mouth twitching. “A...verrry...nice...fellow!” She nodded jerkily. “Yes! My word, that J.B. is such a charmer.”

Rainbow Dash’s fist crumpled the card. “Well what’s he doing sending Fluttershy flowers? Star Weld’s going to tear him a new one!”

Rarity chuckled, her arms crossing loosely. “Are you sure Star will be the only one, Rainbow?”

The tomboy blushed, her mouth opening to let loose a stream of vehemence.

“Rarity, please don’t tease her,” Fluttershy said from the hallway.

Rainbow snapped her mouth shut and whipped around. Her stomach flipped, the crumpled card tumbling from her loose grip.

Fluttershy was dressed in a soft yellow flared skirt that brushed just above her knees, with a light brown knit top under a rose pink leather jacket. In her hand she held a white clutch, and resting on her bosom was Rainbow’s medallion.

“Um…” Rainbow Dash swallowed through a tight throat. “Wow.”

Rarity clapped her hands and squealed. “Oh! I just knew you would look smashing, Fluttershy. And look, Rainbow, your necklace was just the piece we needed to pull the look together.” The fashionista went to fuss over her shy friend, who blushed and let her bangs cover her face. “My goodness, how we fought for hours to find the right piece of jewelry,” Rarity went on.

Rainbow rolled her eyes. “Rarity.”

The fashionista didn’t stop: “I mean, I suppose we could have tried white gold, but that’s so 1990! It’s the new millennium, you would think the stores would have more platinum!”

“Rarity.”

“I even contemplated using classic gold, since Fluttershy didn’t seem to have any preference--isn’t that right, dear? Well, anyway, it was such a nightmare that--”

“Rarity!”

“What--?” Rarity snapped, before her face went blank and she looked between Rainbow and Fluttershy like she’d just remembered where she was. “Whoopsies!” she chuckled nervously. She pointed two manicured fingers toward the front door. “I’ll just… Leave you to it then.” She started for the door, a light blush on her cheeks.

Rainbow frowned. For someone who was mugged, she sure seems all right with walking home alone at night!

“Rare, don’t be a dork. I can drive you.” Rainbow Dash pulled her keys out of her pocket and jingled them just for added effect. She grinned at Fluttershy. “Right?”

“Oh yes, of course!” Shy said with an emphatic nod. “It would be safer that way!”

The tomboy wondered if it was in her head, but she thought she saw Rarity’s eye twitch. “Um. Right! Of course. Naturally, it would be safer.”

“Cool! Well, if you’re ready Flutters, let’s go!” Rainbow said. She made to take a step toward the door, but paused to stoop down and grab the crumpled card. “Oh yeah. I kinda crumpled this.” She awkwardly placed the ruined note card back onto the edge of the flower vase.

Fluttershy blinked at her in confusion as Rarity barely stifled a laugh.

On the drive over, Rainbow Dash suffered through a girly conversation about a European fashion show that Rarity and Fluttershy apparently both knew about. The pre-vet was sitting in the back, while the fashion designer sat in the front.

“Have you had a chance to see Cheval’s summer line? Oh it is to die for!”

“I’m afraid not! I’ve been so busy between work and school, but I imagine it must have been enchanting.”

“Oh it is, darling! I was telling my stylist that if Cheval were to pass away tomorrow--”

“So you heard from Pinkie Pie, right Rarity?” Rainbow interjected. She was sick of waiting for a chance to ask.

Rarity glared at the interruption. “Yes.”

“See? It was nothing to worry about.”

The fashionista quirked an eyebrow. “I suppose not. Still, I would have appreciated Pinkie communicating with me better. We are organizing a very big event, after all!”

Rainbow shrugged with a, It’s Pinkie, what are you going to do? sort of half-grin.

When her passengers resumed their fashion talk, however, her carefree expression faded.

We still don’t know why Pinks vanished to begin with, Rainbow thought with unease. She said she got bad news at the doctor. Should I say something to the others? Pinkie didn’t make me promise, but it doesn’t feel right to say her business… She glanced sidelong at Fluttershy as they came to a stop light. Sort of like how Pinkie was reluctant to tell me about Rarity being mugged. I don’t wanna worry Flutters with that anyway. That happened two months ago. Rare is tough. She’ll get over this not-sleeping thing. I’ll just pull her aside and give her a pep talk or something. I’m good at pep talks. Rainbow nodded to herself. Yeah. Everything will be fine.

They arrived at the sorority house in quick time. Rarity exited the car and Fluttershy climbed into the front passenger seat. Rainbow leaned over and waved. “See ya, Rarity. We’ll wait for you to get inside.” She’d thought this would be reassuring to her friend, but now the tomboy was certain she’d seen a flash of annoyance cross her fashionable friend’s face.

“Thank you,” Rarity said instead. She smiled radiantly at Fluttershy. “After your dinner, you two should consider this nice ice cream parlor downtown for dessert! They have slow-churned flavors to die for.”

Fluttershy sank a bit in her seat. “We’ll think about it,” she squeaked.

Rainbow frowned, suddenly suspicious. Wait a second…

“Yeah, I dunno,” the tomboy said with a slow-forming grin. “I was thinking of cake instead.”

Rarity’s smile stiffened. “Cake?”

“Yeah. Maybe even a happy birthday cake. It’s someone’s birthday today somewhere, right?”

Fluttershy gave Rainbow a confused look. “I suppose that’s true?” she said uncertainly.

Rarity, meanwhile, was outright glaring. “Hmph! Sounds like a waste of a perfectly good dessert.”

While Fluttershy was focused on the fashionista saying this, Rainbow mouthed behind her back, You’re not winning!

“Ah, who knows. We could get anything,” Rainbow said with an innocent look as Shy looked next to her. The frown on the pre-vet’s face suggested she was aware she was missing something.

Rarity took her distraction as an opportunity to stick her tongue out at Rainbow. This just made the athlete laugh.

Fluttershy looked between the two of them helplessly. “What’s going on?” she asked.

The fashion designer patted her friend’s hand. “Nothing, dearest,” she waved as she walked up the path to the sorority house. “Ciao! Have fun!”

Rainbow Dash waited for Rarity to enter the house before starting her car up again. She grinned at a blushing Fluttershy. “You ready?”

“Where are we going?”

The tomboy shifted into gear. “You’ll see.”

Inside Sugarcube Corner was as wonderfully fragrant as Fluttershy remembered. She inhaled deeply, her eyes falling shut. A happy hum escaped her. She felt a soft touch at the small of her back and her cheeks colored as she turned to regard a smiling Rainbow Dash.

“Come on, let’s go sit in our old booth!” she said to Fluttershy.

The pre-vet bit her lip as they passed the other tables and booths to take a seat at their once-favored spot closer to the front counter. “Shouldn’t we order something, first?”

Rainbow’s smile had turned crooked as she waved to someone at the front counter. “Nah, we’re kind of expected…”

Fluttershy looked to see who she was waving to, and her blue eyes popped open wide. “Pinkie Pie!” Her head whipped around. “You knew she would be here? Is that how you guessed that she contacted Rarity?”

Rainbow didn’t get a chance to answer, because in the next moment, Pinkie Pie had bounded over from behind the checkout counter, reached over the table, and hugged Fluttershy’s head to her chest. Her ample chest. Her very soft quadruple-D chest. Fluttershy’s hands flew up, fingers splayed like she’d just been pied in the face. “Mmph!”

Pinkie, meanwhile, babbled happily, petting the back of her hair. “Fluttershy! I’m so happy to see you! When Rainbow told me she was going to bring you here, I felt like throwing ten parties at once!”

“Pinkie, will you let her breathe!?” Rainbow snapped.

Fluttershy was unceremoniously released and she sucked in a huge, desperate breath. Placing a hand on her chest, the blushing girl smiled her thanks at Rainbow Dash...though the tomboy didn’t see it. She was too busy blushing redder than a tomato and glaring daggers at Pinkie Pie. The party planner was impervious to her friend’s ire, however, and just giggled.

“Anyway,” Rainbow said to Fluttershy. “I was thinking we could let Pinkie Pie surprise us, since she’s so good at figuring out things we like to eat. Is that okay with you, Shy?”

Fluttershy nodded. “That sounds fun! Pinkie always does the best when it comes to picking out food.”

Pinkie Pie made an OK sign with her hand. “Okey dokey lokey! Just gotta answer one thing. What’ll you guys have to drink?” she asked, her eyes ticking back and forth between the two of them.

“Um… Water is fine,” Fluttershy said with a grateful tilt of her lips.

“Same,” Rainbow said, her glare having downgraded to a pout. “Thanks, Pinks.”

Pinkie saluted before turning on her heel and marching off through the service door to the kitchen. “Be back in a few!” she chirped.

Fluttershy looked at Rainbow Dash, her smile now bemused. “She seems to be doing all right. I wonder why she vanished the way she did?” She leaned in close and asked in a lower voice, “Did she tell you?”

Rainbow rubbed the back of her hot neck. Moron. You should’ve seen this question coming!

“N-nah,” the athlete said, tugging at her ear. “She didn’t really. She just got busy and stuff.”

Fluttershy’s brow tensed and her focused gaze seemed to command Rainbow’s attention. “Rainbow…” she murmured. “If you can’t tell me, that’s fine. You don’t have to lie.”

Rainbow Dash flinched and she reached across the table to grab Fluttershy’s wrist. “Aw, man. Flutters, I just don’t want to make Pinkie uncomfortable. She’s doing me a solid by cooking for us!”

Fluttershy’s cheeks tinged pink, but unlike those other nights when Rainbow had touched her in this way, she felt less startled by it. With just a beat of hesitation, she put her other hand over Rainbow’s. “It’s all right.” She smiled reassuringly. “I wouldn’t want you to break Pinkie’s confidence in you.” She patted the other girl’s hand. “You’re a good friend, Rainbow Dash.”

A strange look came over Rainbow’s face, making Fluttershy pause. Their gazes locked and the animal lover could feel a warmth overcoming her skin.

“I want to be good to you too, Fluttershy,” Rainbow said with a little smile.

Fluttershy could hear her heart in her ears.

Her face ached from the smile that crossed her lips.

It was going well.

Rainbow Dash could hardly believe it (though if anyone asked her, she would have laughed and told them she knew it was in the bag all along).

The food was good. Pinkie Pie had made Rainbow Dash a sandwich with juicy slices of turkey, apple-butter, and arugula grilled cheese. For Fluttershy she had made a crisp tofu sandwich with peanut-ginger sauce. Neither girl was able to speak as they took bite after bite of the delicious food. Pinkie Pie beamed at them from the counter before Rainbow pointedly suggested that she not stare at them unblinkingly as they ate.

Through a bit of distraction and smooth talking, the tomboy had managed to close the distance between her and her unwitting date so that their hips touched and her arm was casually draped across the seat behind Fluttershy. Her friend, meanwhile was smiling and making eye contact, not hiding or clamming up like Rainbow had worried she would. The familiar setting, plus Pinkie Pie’s close presence, seemed to put the shy girl at ease. In fact, she was the one who ended up initiating a merry trip down memory lane as they recalled the time they had first brought Princess Twilight to eat with them, or the time Rainbow and Applejack had a cake eating contest, or even the time Fluttershy had inadvertently started a food fight between Crystal Prep and Canterlot High students.

“I was so scared!” she said with a grimacing smile. “The look on Indigo Zap’s face when I dropped my caramel vanilla sundae on her new shoes was so terrifying…”

Rainbow slapped a hand to her face. “Oh my gosh, that’s right! Then she tried to chuck her tapioca pudding at your face, but you ducked and it hit--”

“Diamond Tiara!” they said in unison, before dissolving into laughter.

“Oooh!” Pinkie Pie said from the counter after handing a customer their change. “I remember that day!”

“You should,” Rainbow chortled. “You were the one who screamed, ‘Food fight!’”

Pinkie snorted out a laugh before a withering look from Mrs. Cake, who was sweeping the front area, made her slouch. “Uh, yeah. And that is something I’ll never ever do again. Right, Mrs. Cake? Ha? Ha, ha… Ha.”

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy exchanged an amused look as their mutual friend vanished into the back again, her face a pink to match her hair.

“So Rainbow,” Fluttershy said with a soft smile. “Have you had a chance to work on the song, yet?”

Rainbow froze. “Um… Yes?”

“Wonderful! I’d love to hear what you’ve done.”

The tomboy squinted one eye. “Yeeeah, but… It’s not that great, and it’s not done, and--” she reached suddenly for her glass of water and swallowed a large gulp.

Fluttershy pouted. “Oh. Well, I suppose I understand. That was how I felt before, too. I’d hate to make you uncomfortable.”

Rainbow choked mid-swallow, some water spilling down her front. Argh, I hate it when she does the guilt trip! It’s even more annoying because I know she doesn’t mean it that way!

Fluttershy put a hand over her mouth. “Gosh! Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Rainbow Dash rasped. She sighed and tried to dry her front with a napkin. “Look, it’s not fair that I made you share, then I turn around and say I don’t want to.” She smiled at Fluttershy. “We can go back to my dorm and I’ll show you what I have. I think I even worked out a simple melody to go with it.”

The animal lover smiled, “If you’re really okay with it.”

Rainbow nodded. “I am. Totally-yyy!” Behind Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie had emerged from the service door with a blue cake that had sparklers and rainbow hearts on the side...

She jumped up from her seat, forgetting momentarily that they were in a booth, so the tops of her thighs and part of her pelvis struck the table, making the water spill down the front of her pants.

Fluttershy yelped in alarm, her hands flying to her mouth before she gingerly touched a wincing Rainbow’s arm. “Rainbow--??”

The athlete didn’t have time to answer.

Pinkie Pie was almost to their table. Her mouth opened as she sang, “Oooh Fluttershy--!”

Fluttershy’s head started to turn. This called for desperate measures.

Rainbow grabbed the shy girl by the shoulders and hugged her. Hard. This was awkward as the tomboy was still half-standing, and so Fluttershy’s head came just under her breasts where her friend pinned her there. With her free hand, Rainbow Dash waved frantically at a bewildered Pinkie Pie. Angrily, she mouthed, Are you nuts!? Take that back!

The party girl pouted but did as she was told. Rainbow sighed with relief and released Fluttershy the moment their friend had vanished through the service door.

Shy stared up at Rainbow, her hair mussed. “Rainbow Dash, that was… Unexpected?” her eyes squinted like she didn’t quite know what to make of the awkward hug.

Rainbow cleared her throat and sat down. She tugged at her collar, feeling hot all over again. “Yeah. That’s me. Unexpected Dashie. I just wanted to,” she wheeled a hand through the air, struggling to conjure a word, “To show my gratitude? Or whatever?”

Fluttershy blinked. “All right…”

Rainbow started to slide out of the booth. “Hey, we need a towel or something to get that water. Napkins won’t cut it. I’ll be back in a jiffy.” She stood and made a beeline for the service door.

On the other side, Rainbow Dash found Pinkie Pie coming toward her with another cake--white this time--though her pout was still in place.

“Pinkie, that was close! Come on, man, what were you thinking?” Rainbow complained. “I know you guys got that bet going, but I’m going to do things my way! Not with a message on a cake!” She gestured at the cake in question.

The blue-frosted desert had written in red frosting on the top inside of a heart with an arrow going through it: Dashie + Flutters.

Pinkie’s lips puckered as she held up the new cake--this one bereft of writing. “Re-lax! I baked an extra cake, just in case. You can’t blame a girl for trying, right?”

Rainbow crossed her arms and glared her answer.

They said their goodbyes to Pinkie Pie and the Cakes, and returned to Rainbow’s car. Just when Rainbow had shut her door, her phone pinged. She pulled it out and checked the notification. A text from Sunset. “There you are,” she breathed as she unlocked her phone.

>SSh: Hey. Sry. I’m ok. Not comin bak tonite tho

Rainbow blinked and typed back a quick message.

>R: U sure? Where u stayin?

>SSh: Somewhere safe. Don’t worry :)

“Rainbow?” Fluttershy said.

Rainbow Dash looked at her sharply, then put her phone away. “Sorry.”

“It’s all right. But you looked worried.”

The tomboy waved the concern away, forcing a jaunty grin on her face. “Nah. Forget about it. Let’s just get back to my dorm before it gets too late.” She started up the car.

As it was a Friday night, the drive back into the city was a bit more hectic than Rainbow Dash cared for. By the time they had arrived at the dorm, she was feeling edgy and nervous. Fluttershy seemed to sense as much and refrained from speaking much.

When they entered Rainbow and Sunset’s dorm room, Rainbow gestured at her desk chair to the left of the room. “Go ahead and relax. Let me dig out my guitar.” She rubbed her neck as she crossed the room. “I’d, uh...offer you something to drink or eat, but neither me or Sunset have been very good at keeping the cooler stocked, so--”

Fluttershy smiled pleasantly as she started to remove her pink leather jacket. “It’s fine, Rainbow. I’m--”

Rainbow’s eyes widened and she practically bounded to her friend, making the animal lover shrink away with surprise. The athlete flinched and took a step back. “Woah, sorry! I just was going to, uh, take your jacket. Y’know to be...polite.” She was going to say gentlemanly, but she feared that might have sounded too obvious.

Fluttershy’s sleek eyebrow arched just the slightest as she held Rainbow in a wary stare. Slowly, she slipped off the jacket and held it out to her host.

Rainbow swallowed, feeling her cheeks burn as she took it and chucked it unceremoniously onto Sunset’s bed. At Fluttershy’s bemused look, she explained, “Sunset isn’t coming back tonight.”

Fluttershy’s eyebrows shot up high. “O-oh…”

They stood in awkward silence, both of them looking to their shoes.

Rainbow knocked the heel of her palm into her forehead when she recalled just what they were even doing there to begin with. “Duh! I was getting my guitar to sing you the lyrics I wrote. Geez, one sec.”

She went to kneel by her bed and reached under the frame. With a strong jerk, she pulled out her guitar case, her hands scrambling to hide the dirty socks and boxers that had come with it out from sight. This done, she stood and placed the case on top of her bed and extracted her instrument. The blue guitar with lightning bolts along its red neck had been a valued treasure from high school. She’d replaced the strap for it, and the strings were new, but the instrument itself she could never replace. Rainbow smiled at it like an old friend, pulling the strap over her head and holding the neck with great ease. She quickly plugged in the cord and plugged the other end into the mini-amp she had bought senior year. It didn’t have the best sound, but for this impromptu performance, it would do.

Rainbow closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She turned her head to see Fluttershy sitting in her desk chair, her blue eyes focused as she smiled a sweet gentle smile that made the tomboy’s heart skip a beat. Clearing her throat, Rainbow Dash put her fingers into place on the neck and switched the mini-amp on. “You ready?” she asked.

Fluttershy nodded mutely, her smile broadening.

The tomboy grinned. “So this is for my crush. Tell me if you can guess who it is.” She squared her shoulders and began to play, her eyes focused on the frets:

“I want to be what
You always know to find
On standby
And with answers primed
Ready, waiting
Ever real
Not a ghost
You cannot feel”

Rainbow Dash raised her gaze and found it captured by Fluttershy tender eyes. Her heart skipped a beat again, she could feel the sweat forming on her brow.

Despite herself, her grin became a big smile. She didn’t shy away from things, and now that she was singing and playing for Fluttershy… It felt right. Awesome, even.

“I want to be bright
When I’m usually dull
Blast away
The despicable
Be your beacon when
Fog gets dense
Lose my mask
But keep my sense”

Rainbow’s gaze turned soft as Fluttershy rose from her chair, her smile shrinking. Her face was starting to turn red. Their eyes never left each other’s.

“It’s true
It’s true
You never know
The sum of us may never show
The things we chased but couldn’t see
But to hope, is to sometimes breathe”

The tomboy had intended for a guitar solo after the chorus, but she figured now was a good time to stop. She strummed out some on-the-spot chords that threaded into the melody, then reached down and shut off the mini-amp. She straightened and looked at her guest. The shy girl had moved to the center of the room, her hands clasped nervously.

“Rainbow, this song…” Fluttershy looked down at her feet, her face turning even redder if possible.

Rainbow Dash pulled her guitar strap over her head and carefully replaced her instrument in its case. She closed it and propped it up against her nightstand. “So can you guess?” she asked.

“I…”

The tomboy sighed as an exasperated smile formed on her lips. “It’s you, featherbrain!”

Fluttershy actually took a step back at this, her eyes going wide as her hair curtained forward to hide half her face.

Rainbow Dash resisted the urge to back off. Old urges--the desire to protect her demure friend from that which made her uncomfortable--bubbled up hot and quick. They said, This is too much. She doesn’t like this. Call it off, this was a mistake.

But Rainbow still remembered what Spike had said to her:

Fluttershy needs a kick in the butt, not a lollipop and a pat on the head.

Don’t let up, Dash, she encouraged herself. Stay on the offensive until the right moment!

“You know what I wanna do, Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked casually, her hands shoving into her back pockets as she slowly began to approach her companion.

Fluttershy swallowed audibly as she started to retreat backwards, toward the door. “N-no?”

“I want to kiss you.”

This earned Rainbow a strange mewl, unlike any she had ever heard her friend emit before. The shy girl was well-known for her pitiful squeaks and mousy whines… But this was not like any of those. The sound was tense with apprehension, yes, but it simmered with barely checked longing. Rainbow could feel the pit of her abdomen tighten, and she took a deep breath.

It’ll be hard just going to 90% like Twi and Sun say I should if Shy keeps making sounds like that… she mused lustfully.

“But I’m...not going to kiss you,” Rainbow Dash said with some effort, her voice roughening as it dropped a pitch.

Fluttershy’s head lifted, bewilderment now clouding her pretty blue eyes. “Wh-what?”

“I’m not going to kiss you, Fluttershy,” Rainbow repeated firmly. She continued her steady advance. Before her friend knew it, the tomboy had her trapped against the door, her hands planted at either side of her pink head. “You know why?”

Fluttershy shook her head jerkily, visibly trembling.

Rainbow licked her lips and swallowed through a throat tight with want. “Because you’re going to do it.”

Now the shy girl’s eyes seemed to pop, her knees failing her momentarily so that she slid down along the door before she caught the knob and righted her stance. Rainbow Dash took this in with a passive expression on her face, though her eyes smoldered with impatient desire.

Fluttershy… Please… I’m goin’ nuts here. You gotta make a move or I might just screw this all up for both of us!

“You want me to kiss you?” Fluttershy finally managed to squeak.

Rainbow only nodded wordlessly.

A nervous laugh. “Oh! I… I don’t think I possibly could…”

The soccer player quirked an eyebrow. “You don’t want to?”

Fluttershy stiffened against the door. “What? No! I mean--er--yes! Yes, I do!” She let out a little involuntary groan that made Rainbow’s breath hitch. “Oh my goodness, I really do, Rainbow, I’m just… I’m just a big coward, don’t you see?”

“What if I made it easier for you?” Rainbow murmured with lidded eyes.

The other girl fidgeted on the spot. “How would you make it easier for me?” Her voice was tinny.

A predatory smile crossed Rainbow’s lips before she pressed in so close that their noses were brushing, and she could feel her friend’s anxious breath against her lips.

“Like this,” she breathed. From this distance, the scent of lavender and mint was almost overwhelming. She quirked an eyebrow when Fluttershy squeezed her eyes shut. “Now all you have to do is lean forward.”

A low whine. “Rainbow…”

“Come on, Fluttershy.”

“I just… I don’t know if I can…”

“I want you to.”

Fluttershy’s eyes fluttered open. Rainbow Dash let her rose pink gaze bore into her friend’s sky blue eyes, determined to make the soul behind them understand that this was inevitable. It was the same look she gave goalies just before hitting a scoring shot. Victory was the only conceivable outcome in Rainbow’s mind, and this was no different.

So when Fluttershy closed that three inch distance by simply tilting forward, Rainbow didn’t feel surprised. Just relieved it had finally happened. Shy’s lips were soft, moist, and warm. Rainbow’s heart fluttered in her chest, and her toes tingled.

But the moment was there and gone in an instant as the animal lover pulled away quickly for what turned out to be a rather quick and chaste kiss. There hadn’t even been time to close eyes and languish in the moment.

Rainbow couldn’t help it. She laughed.

Fluttershy turned her face, heat practically radiating off of her. “Was that not good enough?” she asked tremulously.

Still chuckling, the tomboy answered, “Mm… I dunno.”

Fluttershy looked at her in alarm. “What?”

Rainbow Dash smirked and shrugged one shoulder. “Yeah, I’m not sure. You kissed me too quick. I think you need to do it again.”

Fluttershy bounced a little on the spot as she whimpered. “Rainbow Dash, you’re just teasing--!”

“I’m serious!” Rainbow laughed. “I mean, it wasn’t that hard, was it--?” She was cut off when Fluttershy kissed her, her lips pressing more insistently this time. Her eyebrows shot high before she allowed her eyes to close as her friend tilted her head to the side, her lips trembling as she deepened the kiss. Rainbow’s body tightened as she fought to hold herself back.

Wait… Just wait…

Soft fingertips touched Rainbow’s tender neck, making the athlete shudder involuntarily. The other girl’s lips stuttered, as if uncertain of this reaction, before resuming with new ardor, her hands pulling Rainbow in closer at the back of the neck. Their lips began to move in tandem, massaging one another sensually in an explorative dance. When Fluttershy pulled away one short minute later, her breaths were coming in short gasps. “Was that better?” she asked, her brows pressing up and together with worry.

Rainbow exhaled slowly, her expression of jest having given way to a mask of desire. “That was perfect,” she growled, before stepping in to claim her prize.

Fluttershy offered little resistance as Rainbow Dash pressed her up against the door, her mouth taking her friend’s in an assertive liplock that brooked no argument. But where as the shy girl had been content to focus purely on what their lips were doing, Rainbow put her years of kissing experience to good use. She pressed her entire body into Fluttershy, pinning the pre-vet against the wood as she firmly nudged her knee between her friend’s legs so as to get in closer. As the only way to do this meant Fluttershy’s leg also had to slip between hers, Rainbow was afforded with a pleasing pressure that made her painfully aware of how wet she was.

At first her companion seemed to shrink against the door with a whimper. Her shoulders slouched, and her feet stepped awkwardly on Rainbow’s sneakers, like she was trying to get out of the way and apologize. When one of Rainbow’s arms snaked around her back and pulled her in, Fluttershy shivered...then arched her body.

This single motion set off many things at once.

Rainbow could feel her knees weaken when Fluttershy’s left hip ground up into her, setting off a warm flood of need up her abdomen and down her thighs. Her thoughts turned murkier as their chests slid briefly against one another, teasing Rainbow through her sports bra and making her nipples hard. Her mouth watered, but she kept her kisses simple as she suckled lightly at Shy’s lower lip, making the other girl squirm deliciously once more.

The tomboy took her free hand, which had previously still been planted on the door, and buried it in Fluttershy’s hair. After a few minutes ticked by of this eager, but admittedly tempered exploration, Rainbow felt bold enough to flick her tongue against Fluttershy’s lips.

It was almost like Fluttershy reacted on instinct when her lips parted, like she was trying to catch a treat into her mouth and had only missed. Rainbow grinned despite herself. Her friend--her dear close friend whom she had known for years now--was opening up to her in ways that she had for few (if not no other) in the world. This was a tremendous secret to share, and Rainbow Dash felt a great pride burning in her chest that Fluttershy not only wanted her, but felt free enough to show it.

So Rainbow took Fluttershy’s open mouth invitation without hesitation, her tongue finding its way inside. She flicked the tip of the other girl’s tongue, teasing her briefly, before she lavished her partner with attention. Fluttershy initially responded with the same awkward hesitance as before, but within moments her arms had snaked around Rainbow’s neck and her head had tilted to the side to better deepen the kiss.

The athlete didn’t have many words she could attribute to this experience. The best she could come up with was Fluttershy’s name over and over, like a new mantra in her head. Had she really fretted about this before? Why did she even doubt this was a good idea? Rainbow couldn’t even remember the last time she had felt this good. Was it because of all the waiting? Usually, her dates were short and heated. The only girl she had ever put this much effort into had been Lightning Dust.

At the thought of her ex-girlfriend, Rainbow flinched and broke their kiss, their lips smacking and wet. She pressed her forehead to Fluttershy’s and tried to catch her breath. Fluttershy panted into her open mouth, her eyes opening reluctantly.

“Rainbow?” she panted. “Did I… Did I do something--?”

“No,” Rainbow said hoarsely, her gaze shifting to the side. “No, you didn’t. I just wanted to catch my breath.”

“Oh.” The tomboy heard the other girl swallow. “That was--uh--”

Rainbow Dash laughed hoarsely. “That was awesome!”

“Yes! Heavens, yes!” Fluttershy giggled, her hips shifting and setting off another pleasurable twinge that made her partner bite her lip.

Rainbow closed her eyes, savoring the moment. Her breathing was deep, her heart rate wasn’t fast, but the muscle beat hard in her chest. Adrenaline worked through her differently than most, thanks to her fit body and mental training. Rainbow Dash knew how to keep her head when the blood flowed.

So there was plenty of brain cells working when she realized she and Fluttershy had the room to themselves all night.

No, she thought immediately, her brow tensing. Fluttershy’s probably not the kind of girl who would do that on a first date, right?

Technically, a taunting voice responded in her head, This wasn’t a first date. So what rule are you breaking?

There is no way I’m going to pressure her, Rainbow thought fiercely, her arm tightening around Fluttershy as if to shield her from the very thought. I can totally keep it in my pants--!

“R-Rainbow Dash?” Fluttershy’s voice cut into the athlete’s thoughts, making her eyes snap open again.

The shy girl was looking at her with a smoldering gaze. “I don’t suppose… You’ve caught your breath yet?”

Rainbow sucked in a breath.

Yeah. You can totally keep it in your pants. The inner voice said smugly.

12/23/19: After all this time, I've recorded Dash and Shy's song. Click here to hear it.