"Hi Rainbow Dash!" Sweetie Belle said when she opened Rarity's door.
"Hey kid, is Rarity home?" Rainbow glanced nervously around the room.
"Yeah she's up in her room working on your guys' dresses for tonight."
Nerves took over Rainbow Dash. "Oh, well, if she's busy I can come back later."
"It's OK, just go on up!"
Rainbow Dash swallowed. "OK, thanks."
Slowly she made her way to Rarity's room. The room was a mess, with fabrics of every color everywhere. In the center of the room Rarity stood beside a horse mannequin, pins sticking out of her mouth. When the door creaked she turned to look at Rainbow.
"Rainbow Dash, I didn't expect to see you so soon. Ah! It's not time to get ready for the ball yet is it?" Rarity dropped everything she held an ran to look at her reflection in the full body mirror in the corner. "I'm not close to being ready!"
"Chill out," Rainbow said. "I just came to ask you something."
"Oh," Rarity sighed in relief. "What is it Rainbow Dash?"
Rainbow shuffled her hoof on the ground and focused on a piece of red fabric on the ground.
"How much do you know about stallions?"
Rarity looked at her as if she had three heads. "I wouldn't call myself an expert, but quite a lot why?"
"Well, uh, cause, you see…" Rainbow sighed. "Lightning Comet, the stallion who beat me, asked me to go to the ball with him." The words rushed out together.
Rarity's mouth dropped. "He… he… he… asked YOU OUT!?"
Rainbow nodded. "I told him no but…"
"Oh Rainbow Dash, darling, you have to find him and yes IMMEDIATELY!"
Rainbow snorted.
"If you won't then I'll accept for you," Rarity held her head high and marched toward the door. Rainbow rushed to block it.
"No! I can't go with him!"
"And why not?"
"Because, because," Rainbow searched for a word. "It's not cool!"
"On the contrary, it is 'cool'," Rarity scoffed. "Why, I haven't been asked yet, and every pony should be asked to a ball!"
"But…"
"No buts! We are going to go find this stallion and tell him you've changed your mind."
"But I haven't!"
Rarity shook her head in disbelief. She looked at Rainbow closely. "I heard him talking to you this morning. Clearly he likes you."
"How can you tell that?" Rainbow asked.
"I just can darling," Rarity sighed. "And I can tell you like him too."
Rainbow Dash froze. "What!? I do NOT like him!"
"How did you feel when he asked you? Truthfully?" Rarity asked.
"I don't know," Rainbow sputtered. "Sick? Nervous?"
Rarity just smiled. "Trust me Rainbow Dash. Find him and say yes. You'll thank me later," she said in a sing-song voice.
"Fine," Rainbow grumbled as she headed out of the boutique to find Lightning Comet.
It didn't take her long. He was standing in front of Sugercube Corner, talking to a group of ponies. As she approached, Rainbow realized that were all mares. Once again her stomach twisted, but in a little bit of a different way, and she felt annoyed. What Rarity had said replayed in her mind. She snorted. There was no way she liked him.
From the back of the clump of ponies, she called out, her confidence restored. "Hey Lightning Comet!"
When he looked at her his mouth curved into a smile. Immediately he dismissed himself and walked over to her.
"Yes Rainbow Dash?" he asked politely.
Looking at him, she felt her cool slipping. "I changed my mind. I would like to… go to the ball with you."
His smile grew. "Awesome!"
Rainbow felt her cheeks heating up. Determined not to let it show, she stamped her hoof. "Meet me at the boutique before."
"OK Rainie," he leaned close to her. "I can't wait."
So quickly she thought she'd imagined it, he kissed her forehead. She stood, frozen, as he walked away. She knew she was blushing.
"See you tonight Rainie!"
Embarrassed, Rainbow took to the sky. She felt like she needed to hide.
