When Two Hearts are Daring
Rainbow Dash groaned as she forced herself not to fidget in the chilly december morning air, on a Manehattan sidewalk packed full of ponies from nose to tail. At that moment Rainbow Dash knew that she and lines were mortal enemies.
But just like the famed Apple family cider or one of those delicious Appleloosan Pepper Pot Pies, this book store grand opening was worth the wait. Why, one might ask? Well because the release of the latest, greatest, in the most sensational adventure series ever coincided on the very same day! Daring Do and the Crypt of the Dark King.
It did the trick. The new bookstore was flooded with eager bookworms. The official release date was actually three months away but the author agreed, in an act of generosity, to allow two hundred copies to be sold early in honor of the renovation and grand re-opening of the very first bookstore in the city.
Which is why Rainbow Dash was standing in the slowest line in the history of existence. Even worse than cider! With cider you walk up, get a mug, and leave. But of course every pony in front of Dash was a fan just like her. Probably a reverent fan, just like her.
And the author, A.K. Yearling herself was here signing books! The thought alone made Dash giddy. Second only to the Wonderbolts, Yearling was a pony she genuinely looked up to with the fascination of a starry-eyed filly. In one night she had become a lifelong fan and for that reason alone she knew the wait was worth it.
"Come on, come on, this line feels like it's getting slower!" she muttered.
Dash tried to peer around the dozen or so ponies in front of her with no success. The line darted sharply to the right and passed the front doors of the book shop, keeping the author hidden along with a good amount of customers still waiting in line.
"Hey can this line move any faster!" is what Dash wanted to say but alas, she knew it would do no good.
Seriously, Tank moves faster than this in his sleep! A blustery breeze rustled through Dash's mane and feathers, shivering she tightened the scarf around herself. Suddenly the mare in front of her took a clean three steps forward. Sweet Progress!
Three steps in the next five minutes...wonderful.
But patience is a virtue and at long last, after at least an hour of cold wind and coughing murmuring ponies, she finally made it to the front doors, thank the stars!
She could see the booth separated by a petition covered in signs and cardboard cutouts of the story's heroine. From her angle, Dash couldn't see Yearling clearly besides the big brown sun hat poking out from the sides. Much to Dash's delight the line seemed to be moving faster now, she'd finally have the new book and her hooves. She could already imagine the late hours she'd keep pouring every last ounce of her attention into those pages! Oh man this is SO exciting!
She let her eyes wander for a moment. The atmosphere was comfortable and warm, the very opposite of what she was standing in for the better part of an hour. She could distinctly smell coffee brewing near by- oh hey, a café! If only she could have camped in here instead. But it didn't matter now, the wait was worth it.
Before Dash knew it she was at the front of the line. She'd made it, just one pony left!
Finally, I'm next!
Her eyes fell back on the booth and to her surprise the chair was empty.
"Uh, where's A.K.?" Dash asked. The mare ahead of her took her copy and cantered happily out of the store, and suddenly Dash found herself standing in front of the booth with an empty chair behind it. A single book sat on the shelf behind that. Oh wow, was that really the last one? A pony who looked like the manager stepped into the booth with a pitying smile.
"Listen up everyone! I'm sorry to say we're fresh out of copies! Miss Yearling needed to step away but she was very happy to meet so many of her dedicated fans!" An audible groan rose from the line of ponies, some were more audible with their displeasure and a few others got out of line entirely.
"Hold on, don't leave yet! We still have plenty of the previous adventures lining our shelves. All reprints with beautiful covers! And wonderful assortment of Daring Do accessories over there, and don't forget to grab yourself a quick mug of Starbucks before you head out!"
Behind her, more ponies stepped out and disassembled the booth in a quick and practiced manner. In a numb horror, Rainbow Dash locked onto the last book. The book the author hadn't been here to sign and give to her. Had none of them seen it? Before she could say anything, somepony walked past and snatched the lonely item off the display. Dash's voice caught in her throat and she could only watch the last book, her book, get taken away.
"H-hey, wait a minute!" She brought her hooves up, leaning over the table. "Wait a minute!" she repeated. The line of ponies was breaking up, packing the already crowded store, making it difficult to reach the nabber. With no other choice Dash hovered a few feet above the bustling crowd, trying to pick out the mane of the pony who snagged her beloved book right from under her nose.
Darn, where'd he go? Outside? Dash flew out of the store, looking up and down the sidewalk. At first she thought she'd missed him until she spotted her target. A brown coated stallion with a blond mane. If she squinted, Dash was certain she saw the book poking out of his saddle bag.
"You! Stop right there!" She touched down right in front of the stallion, thrusting her nose straight into his face, her rainbow mane obscured his vision and made him recoil in surprise. For a second Rainbow Dash knew who she was looking at, yet at the same time couldn't believe that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.
"What the hay, mare!" he protested until Rainbow Dash gave him some space. Her eyes weren't lying but her mind still clung to the strands of disbelief.
"Dumbbell? What are you doing here in Manehattan?" she asked.
Dumbbell looked as if Dash tried to speak to him in a dead language before straightening up with a flash of annoyance. "Minding my own business, is what I'm doing." he said, simultaneously sidestepping her.
Rainbow Dash turned with a snarl. "I saw you take that book!"
"What are you talking about?"
So, playing to your name, huh?
"I was next in line, I'm supposed to be the one who owns it, so don't play dumb with me!"
Dumbbell rolled his eyes and made his reply mild. "Don't know what you're talking about, Dashy." Of all things, he had the nerve to smile. And there the conversation ended.
Dash zeroed in on the saddle bag which she noticed him fiddling with during their exchange, pushing the book down under the flap. If she could leer any harder she might have developed telekinesis right then. But at this point there was nothing she could do to claim her prize, without making a scene at least.
[hr]
"Hey Rainbow Daaaash! So did you get the new book?"
The next day saw Rainbow Dash in nothing but a foul mood. She had been mulling the time away around home. Most of her friends were too busy, wrapped tightly around their own individual projects to put up with Dash's sour mood, she was sure. All except for Pinkie Pie.
"Aw come on, Dash! Don't mope! What happened?"
Dash eventually dragged herself into view, seeing Pinkie in a perpetual bounce amused her like a kitten to a ball of yarn. If she stood there long enough she might just lift the pegasus' mood.
"What makes you think I'm moping" Dash asked.
"Because today is Tuesday! The day after Monday! And Monday was the day of that very extra cool grand re opening of the very first bookstore in Manehattan!" Pinkie seemed to jump higher with every other word. "But you haven't been to the library to show off the most fantastic, splenderific, adventurous adventure or anything and that is pretty suspicious!"
Dash smirked. Her friend was right. She had even told Twilight that she'd let the book be added to the library catalogue after she was finished, so when she didn't return, flashing the new Daring Do like a trophy, Pinkie Pie's uncanny senses must have tipped her off. Oh well, might as well be honest.
"Yeah you're right. I wasn't able to get one." she groaned. "Now I've got to wait another three and a half months for the official release!" A distraught feeling washed over her and she rolled over on her back like a defeated animal. "I don't know if I can stand this wait! It's gonna kill me!"
"You weren't the only pony from here to go to the opening were you? Maybe you'll get lucky and run into someone else who got it." said Pinkie Pie. She then gasped and crouched low to the ground. "Oh no! Or maybe you shouldn't try to find other ponies who have the book. I forgot, spoilers!"
Rainbow Dash squinted in confusion. "What are you talking about, Pinkie?"
"Think about it, Dashy! You're just walking along through Cloudsdale and you go to one of your favorite places to hang out and ponies are there!"
"Um...alright?"
"Ponies that beat you to the cake! They'll be talking about Daring Do's amazing new adventure and you'll overhear them and it'll ruin everything! Dash you HAVE to stay inside and never go outside for three whole months!"
"Woah woah woah, Pinkie! I think that's just a tad on the extreme side!" Dash chuckled. "I'll be fine, don't worry." she shrugged. "It's just a book." She tried putting up a strong front, then she tapped her chin. "But you just gave me an idea!"
Pinkie Pie poked her head out of the quickly dug bunker she had dug to look up at her friend. "Oh, an idea? Is it a fun one?"
Dash grimaced. "Maaaaaybe. But it'll definitely answer a question that's been nagging me since I got home." Dash went airborne. "I'll see you later, Pinkie Pie!"
And with that she flew off to Cloudsdale.