Chapter 10: Rainbow filled day
The next morning Dan woke up to the sun through the large window. It didn't bug him to much really. He got up and noticed that Rarity was just getting up. She looked like she could use something to wake her up. He walked up behind her and cleared his throat so he didn't scare her. "Morning, want me to make you some coffee or tea to help you wake up?" she looked at him threw tired eyes and nodded. "Yes please, thank you." Dan smiled and started down the stairs. "You just get ready for the day and meet me downstairs when you are ready and it will be ready." Rarity thanked him and went to her bathroom to get ready.
Dan wasn't a morning person either but he could function better than most could. Unlike others he also never drank coffee. He didn't like the taste of the stuff and never needed it. He would just have some candy or some sort of sugar and be ok for the day. So he went down stairs and started the coffee for Rarity. After a few minutes it was done and Rarity came down the stairs. She smelled the coffee and smiled as Dan poured her a cup. She started sipping it and coming to the world of the living and functioning. Dan just stood there and smiled, watching her happily.
"Thank you for letting me stay here last night. Can I help you with your work some time to repay you?" Rarity wanted to say no but figured he wouldn't take that as an answer, so she agreed. "Any time you want to help just let me know and I will make sure you have something to do." Dan thanked her and got ready to leave. "May I ask where you are going this morning?" Dan nodded and gave her an answer. "I am going to make sure Twi knows I'm still ok, so she doesn't worry about me. Then I'm going to tell AJ the same thing and after that I am thinking about a walk in the park. Just kinda want to be outside. And maybe if I'm out there the ponies might get used to me being around and hate me less."
Rarity thought that all those ideas were a good thing, especially telling the others he was ok after not going to their houses to sleep. Dan left shortly after that and went to Twilight's house with captain star following by his side. Spike answered the door. Dan told him to give her the "I am fine message" and that he would see them later. Then it was off to the farm for the same thing. Dan also helped with the trees they had finished while he was there and then told AJ he had to go and try to meet other ponies. "It's the only way they might get used to me. So I will see you later."
AJ was worried for him and told Star to be ready for anything. She said she was and she meant it. as Dan walked the town he smiled and waved to every pony he saw, still no luck. Very few wanted anything to do with him, let alone look at him. Then he heard the familiar sound of wings and figured it was Rainbow coming at him from behind. Dan slightly looked back and saw a rainbow blur coming at him. He hit the ground and Rainbow went right over his head. Luckily she stopped before plowing into anything. "Nice dodge, but how did you know I was coming?"
Dan told her about hearing and seeing her coming and she was impressed. "Cool, so what are you doing today?" Dan shrugged. "I was trying to get these ponies to lighten up with me and give me a chance. But as you can see, I don't think it is working. So how about you? Are you done with weather duty?" She nodded happily and started to think over why she had come to Dan's side anyway. "Ya I'm done and wanted to know if you wanted to hang out some? And I get to choose what we do! You lost the race after all. And a bet's a bet!" Dan laughed lightly and was happy to remember.
"Oh ya I guess your right. So what do you want to do?" She perked up and flew in a happy circle. "I wanted to show you my cloud home! It is so awesome and I wanted to show you all of my Wonderbolts posters!" Dan put his arms up to calm her fangirl episode. "First who are the Wonderbolts? And second cloud home? I can't walk on clouds. So that might be a problem." Rainbow landed looking somewhat sadder. But the she perked up and flew around him. She grabbed his arm and started to pull. "I'll tell you all about the Wonderbolts when we get to my place! And I know how to fix the not walking on clouds problem. The always useful egghead!"
Dan had to laugh at Rainbow's nickname for Twilight. Dan gave into the pulling and ran alongside her. Star following them with an amused look. It was a fun little jog that didn't take long. Once they were there Dan was told about the idea of the cloud walking spell. "That is cool, but we might have a problem with this thing. One I am not too big a fan of heights, and I don't know it that will make the magic not work on me or not." Rainbow face hoofed. "I forgot about that! Darn it!" Dan shrugged and told her that it just meant they would have to try it before they went up there and found out the hard way. but Twilight was still stuck on the fact that they said it might not work on him.
"What do you mean if it will work on you? I know I can do it, I have before and you should be no different." Dan realized he upset the magical pony. "Whoa Twilight hold up. It isn't that I don't think you can do it, I know you can from the stories you have all told me. The doubt is all on me. We figured out the first night in the hospital that if I don't want magic to affect me, it has a hard time doing so. If I didn't want it to it took Luna about half of her power to start to lift my arm. And she could try to teleport me and I wouldn't move. So it has nothing to do with you and your abilities. But I'm worried that since I fear heights then I will unintentionally not let the spell work. Effectively making me fall and be in deep trouble."
Twilight looked at him with a mix of confusion and wonder. Then she did what Dan expected and tried to teleport him closer to her. He felt the pull but didn't move. It felt like he was being pulled off balance slightly but that was it. Twilight looked at him in shock. "Told you. Though you got closer than Luna did the first time, though she didn't have a warning about it not working. And you definitely tried harder. I actually felt like I was being pulled that time! But see why I am worried about this cloud walking thing?" She slowly nodded at him. "ok Rainbow go get a cloud if there are any big enough for him to stand on and bring it down in front of the Library. That way we can test if it will work before he goes up there to find out."
Rainbow nodded and was gone in a flash to look for the right cloud. Twilight was asking Dan if she could hold a few experiments on him now that she knew this magic conundrum. Star even said she would like to see these because it was interesting that Dan was almost magic proof. After Dan told her she could later this week she told him how the cloud walking spell worked and what he would need to do. Then he heard Rainbow come back in and told them to come outside so they could get this thing on the road. Dan agreed and walked outside with the three mares. Then Twilight cast the spell and Dan took the step of faith onto the could. It may have been on the ground but it still made him nervous.
At first Dan's foot started to sink into the cloud and Dan feared it wasn't going to work. Then he saw the sad face on the rainbow manned mare and concentrated on the magic for it to work. After that Dan lifted his foot and placed it back down. This time he felt something firm under his shoes. He stepped up and looked at the other three. One was happy with her work, one was impressed with it working and the last was giddy with the possibilities. "Guess as long as I think about it and want it to work it will do just fine. And when I'm up there I am sure I won't want it to fail." Dash jumped into the air happily. "Yes! And now I can take you up on that instead of getting a balloon! Let's go!"
Rainbow had started to push the cloud and Dan almost fell over. "Whoa! Slow down and let me sit before you knock me off this thing!" Dan's voice had been more forceful then he had meant it to be but that was because of the fear fueling it. once he was sitting and calmer he apologized for his tone and yelling at her. "Sorry you caught me off guard and I kinda got scared that I would fall off. Hope you aren't upset with me." She shook her head. "No I'm good, I should have warned you first. Especially since you're scared of heights and being on this in the first place. So sorry about that but now that that's over we are here! welcome to my home!" Star had grabbed a seat next to Dan on the small cloud and was intrigued by the cloud house.
Dan was looking at a tall white house made completely of cloud. Dan had to blink a few times to make sure it was real. "That is awesome! How does it keep its shape? How does it not blow away?" Rainbow was smirking at all the questions. "it is part of being a pegasus. Weather magic and the ability to build all of our cities out of magic infused clouds. We shape um they stay that way." Dan nodded his head in understanding. "That is so cool! Ok mind if we go look around?" Rainbow flew to the door with a smile. "That is why I brought you here!" Dan laughed at her tone and followed close behind her. Star chose to just stay next to door while Dan looked around.
Dan had a fun couple of hours looking around the cloud house with Rainbow. He enjoyed the posters and even her trophies for winning races. He enjoyed looking at the craftsmanship of the house that he was told Rainbow did most of. "Well you are a pretty good architect there girl. It might be fun to do this for a living." Rainbow shrugged. "Ya but I like weather duty better. Easier and gives me more time to practice my moves for the Wonderbolts!" Dan laughed and agreed to that being a better idea for her and they continued their chat. But then Dan found something on a self that seemed out of place.
It was a girly locket that was fake gold and a fake gem in it. "Hey Rainbow, what is this? It looks to girly for a gal like you. So what's its story?" Dan looked to see Rainbow shake slightly at seeing the small object. She looked away and gave a sigh. "Someone hurt you didn't they? Well if you ever want to talk about it just let me know. I know what heart ach and being betrayed are like." Dan was going to continue and change subject when he heard Rainbow say something that was hard to hear but made his breath catch. "But have you been beaten?" Dan's eyes were wide. His anger started to build.
"Where is that piece of shit?" Dan's tone was eerily calm and little like his normal voice. Rainbow looked up to him to see his lip twitching and a look of anger on his face. This Dan scared her. But more because of that tone let her know someone else was going to get hurt. "Don't worry about it, he's long gone and it was taken care of. It's old history now." Rainbow had been trying to play it cool but her heart wasn't in it and Dan wasn't convinced. "I can see past that hard exterior of yours. How bad did he hurt you? And just tell me where that ass is and he will wish he never even knew your name." Dan's tone changed from caring too cold as he spoke those words.
Rainbow looked at him like he had three heads. 'Why does he care so much? Would he really hurt him?' She wished she didn't know the answer but the look on Dan's face told her all she needed to know. 'He cares. And enough to hurt the ass that hurt me. And all he cares about is me being ok. But why?' the next question was spoken out loud unintentionally. "why does he care at all?" Dan heard it and answered before she knew what was going on. "I care because you are my friend and my friends will be taken care of. I will not stand for a mare as cool and fun as you being hurt in any way let alone beat. It just makes me want to beat that stallion to an inch of life and let him live with the image of you smiling and standing over his body."
Rainbow was shocked at this sudden dark side of Dan. Dan cleared his throat and took a deep breath. "Sorry about that. I just can't stand the thought of you, or any of my new friends getting hurt like that. And all because of some jerk that thought he was better. Bull shit!" Dan looked down to see a worried and confused looking Rainbow Dash staring at him. He worried that he had upset her or made her mad at him. But then in a rainbow colored flash she had her front hooves around his neck. She started to cry lightly. Dan wrapped her in a hug. "It's ok, I'm here and no pony will ever hurt you again. as long as I am here you will be safe from those jerks. And if you ever need help with a jerk like that just let me know and he will be the one hurting."
Rainbow was still crying lightly into Dan's shoulder. "Thank you. I have never had anyone stand up for me. Ya my friends were there, but only to heal what was done. I have always been the one to protect my friends. It feels good to have someone try to protect me for once." Dan hugged her tighter. "You don't always have to be the strong one. Even the strongest need help every once in a while. Even if it is just for their friends to be there in small ways. But trust me when I say he will be the small one if he ever comes back here. and if he comes looking for you. Let me know. Then we will see if he will stand up to a real male." Rainbow chuckled lightly at the thought of her ex running scared with his tail between his legs.
After that heart warming moment Rainbow went back to her tomboy self and told Dan not to tell the others. He agreed that it would be just between them. but when Dan tried to move again he noticed that something wasn't right. He looked down and grew fearful. "Rainbow bring me a cloud to get me to the ground now please!" Dan turned to run outside. Rainbow looked confused until she noticed Dan's feet sinking into the clouds. "The spells wearing off!" Rainbow flew past him and got the cloud they used to get up here. Dan hopped on and walked in place so that he wouldn't fall right through the cloud. Star ran after them and teleported to the ground ahead of them just in case she had to catch him if he fell.
Rainbow flew at a good pace to the ground. Once the cloud was ten feet from the ground Dan flew right through the bottom of the cloud. Lucky for him Rainbow slowed his fall and he knew how to roll out of a long fall. As soon as he touched ground he rolled and stopped sitting up. He started to laugh and lay on his back as a worried Rainbow came up to him. Once she realized he was fine and actually had fun she joined in on the laughter. Star just shook her head at him and rainbow. "Well that was fun!" Rainbow laughed harder lying on her back next to Dan. "Ya but let's not do that again. I don't want you falling and getting hurt ok." Dan agreed with that and told her it just meant they had to time it next time.
After that they stayed laying in the grass talking and relaxing. After that Dan went back to Twilights so he could tell her about the spell warring off and sleep there. Twilight was excited to hear about the spells warring off and was glad Dan was ok. Then Dan went to bed early after a long fun day. 'I am glad I could have a fun Rainbow filled day.'