Rainbow Dash sat next to Fluttershy in the park. Both of their backs were pressed against a large maple tree, their wings splayed out to the sides so that they brush each other, a mess of butter yellow and cyan blue feathers clustered together.
Fluttershy sighed, she couldn't be happier. She was resting in the park at sunset with the mare she loved. What could be better? Nothing. Nothing is better than this. I just hope Rainbow thinks so too. Fluttershy thought to herself, taking a nervous glance at Rainbow, who, to Fluttershy's relief, wasn't looking at her, but at the sunset facing them.
Rainbow stared into the pink and purple and orange glare, knowing that Fluttershy was looking at her with her big, blue and green mixed eyes. She was nervous, not knowing what expression she would find, but looked over after a few moments of hesitation, to find that Fluttershy looked uneasy.
"What's up, Fluttershy? Why do you look so… uncomfortable?" Rainbow Dash asked the lean yellow pegasus beside her, hoping that she sounded concerned enough. She worried a lot about things like that now. She didn't want to seem too inconsiderate now that she was dating.
"Oh, nothing. Just… the sunset's beautiful, isn't it?" Fluttershy said awkwardly. She couldn't tell Rainbow that she doubted the blue pegasus' loyalty to her. Then Rainbow would question HER loyalty, and the thought made Fluttershy sick. Fluttershy loved Rainbow, and was very devoted. Rainbow was the same way. She HAS to be the same way. Fluttershy reassured herself.
"Alright. Yeah, it is, isn't it? I'd love to watch it 'till the end, Fluttershy, but I've gotta go." Rainbow Dash said, taking a last look at the setting sun before rising to her hooves and flapping her wings a few times to stretch them out.
"Why do you have to leave? It's already getting late." Fluttershy asked, her eyes looking slightly sad. Her gentle yellow face looked up to watch Rainbow stretch and wait for her question to be answered.
"Umm… Well… I… promised Applejack I'd help her paint the Apple Family's new barn before it got dark so that the paint would be dry by morning." Rainbow said, the bulk of her sentence said very fast and mostly in one breath.
"Oh. Okay, I understand." Fluttershy said, slowly standing, her ears slightly droopy and her eyes disappointed, although the rest of her body appeared normal.
Rainbow felt bad, and the guilt filled her chest with a strange, tight pressure, but she smiled and waved to her fillyfriend and turned to walk toward the center of Ponyville. As she retreated from the romantic twilight scene, she cleared her throat, rubbed her chest with one hoof, and took a few deep breaths to relieve the growing pressure in her chest.
Fluttershy watched her fillyfriend walk away, and sat back down. Something was up with Rainbow. As soon as Rainbow was out of sight, she began pondering reasons she had to leave. Was she really going to help Applejack out? Or was she just making excuses to have a good reason to leave? Whatever it was, something wasn't right.
The yellow pegasus got up after a while and slowly trotted back to her little cottage at the edge of Ponyville. The sun was still up, remarkably, but it would not be long before Celestia set her sun and Luna rose her moon. Even though it was technically not night yet, Fluttershy felt exhausted. As she walked along the cobblestone path leading to her house, she let out a large yawn, her mouth open wide.
"I guess I really am tired. Strange, to be tired this early, but I really could do with some sleep." She said, heading to her room and crashing on her comfy bed. The mattress was filled with rose petals, rather than feathers so that no animals were harmed in the making of her bed, and as she landed on the soft mattress, the fragrant smell of the red flower wafted through the small bedroom.
Angel the bunny perched at the foot of Fluttershy's bed, and the pegasus smiled at her ever scowling companion, who just frowned back.
"Oh Angel, why are you always so grumpy?" Fluttershy asked her pet cheerfully, but of course, the rabbit didn't respond, just rested his head on his little white paws and closed his eyes, also ready for sleep.
Fluttershy's eyelids drooped, and she looked out of her window just as the first few stars began to shine in the midnight sky, a mix of blue, black, and purple. She lightly sighed, and her smooth pink mane, now with all color drained from it, making it white by the night, fluttered a bit as she drifted off to sleep.
Many happy dreams filled her mind as she slept, and the pegasus smiled in her sleep. All of the dreams involved Rainbow Dash. Rainbow kissing Fluttershy, Rainbow cuddling with Fluttershy, Rainbow on a date with Fluttershy at a fancy restaurant, and Rainbow flying with Fluttershy were a few of the many little mini dreams the butter yellow pegasus experienced that night.
A few times Fluttershy woke from her slumber, hoping to find Rainbow Dash splayed out beside her. Her face would sadden momentarily and she would roll back over on her side and close her eyes, returning to her Rainbow filled dreams.
Rainbow Dash didn't head to Sweet Apple Acres. She instead walked surely through the streets of Ponyville, knowing where she was going even in the dark. Only a few windows were bright with light. Most ponies in Ponyville went to bed early and woke up early. But not Rainbow. The colorful maned pony avoided the few ponies that still inhabited the streets and made her way to her destination, Sugar Cube Corner, the local bakery and also home to her friend, Pinkie Pie.
She reached the front door of the vibrantly colored store, and carefully tested to see if the door was unlocked by softly nudging it with her hoof. It creaked open slightly, sending a shaft of light into the otherwise dark shop. She gently pushed it open a little wider to allow enough room for a pegasus pony to slip through the crack. After she was inside, she slowly shut the door, letting the latch click into place before tip-toeing to the far side of the bakery where a staircase was. The pony's frame left shadows on the already dark wooden floor, as she dodged light from the windows. When Rainbow finally reached the staircase, she trekked up the stairs, passing the first landing and getting off at the second. Walking even more carefully than before, Rainbow Dash arrived at a pink door and slowly pushed it open, only to find her friend waiting for her, as they had planned.
"Dashie! You're here!" Pinkie Pie whispered, still managing to add lots of fluctuation in her voice, despite the soft tone.
"Just like we planned." Said Rainbow Dash, smiling broadly. "Now where did we leave off last time?" she asked, pulling Pinkie Pie toward her gently and leaning down for a passionate kiss.