Rainbow paced back and forth outside on the castle jousting grounds. She was waiting for Scootaloo to get there before Blueblood made his appearance, which he was taking his sweet time about. No doubt he was afraid of getting his hooves muddy when he'd be walking out, but she didn't care. In fact, she was glad for the extra time, since her personal assistant wasn't here yet. Then, she heard the running of footsteps and thought it might have been Scootaloo, but was surprised to see Spike instead, panting.

"Spike? What the heck? Where's Scootaloo?"

"Uh-oh… Did-did you needed her today?" he cringed in fear.

"Yeah! Of course I needed her today to help out with getting back at Blueblood for what he did to Rarity!"

"What?! What did he do?!"

"I'll tell you later. Right now, I really need Scoots. Where is she?"

"Um… that's the thing…" he started sweating.

"What?"

He quickly said while having his hands shield him from the impact, "Applejack gave her the day off!"

"WHAT?! Without asking my permission first?! Why did she do that?!"

He gulped, answering, "She… that is, we were in the kitchen…" As he unfolded the events from earlier that morning, Rainbow's face softened and she sighed, forgetting foremost that Scootaloo was still a kid and needed her free-time.

Remembering when she was Scoots' age, she would always need to get out of the castle and her father was always right there to play with her. She loved how her dad would throw her into the air so she could fly on her own. He was the one who taught her how to fence, joust, and all sorts of things that normally a stallion would be doing, but by being a headstrong girl, she never was into frou-frou stuff like most of her sisters, mainly Rarity and Fluttershy. She missed her father. In fact, King Sombra was the one who introduced her to the Wonderbolts and she met a younger Soarin' at the time.

Soarin'… She thought sadly, remembering their talk about a few days ago, but then her face lit up with an idea. She turned back to Spike, "Thanks for telling me this, Spike, and tell AJ she did me a favor!" she flapped up.

"Wha…?" Spike scratched his head in confusion.

"Now you better go before Blueblood gets here."

"Okay…" he was still confused, but left just as Blueblood made his grand entrance.

Blueblood stopped to look at his hoof as if checking to see if his pedi was still intact, "There had better be a good reason why we're… ugh, meeting in a dirty arena…"

"Well… I was going to show off my great jousting skills to you, but there's been a slight change in plans. Instead, we're going to the Wonderbolt derby."

"Oh, very well… if we must." he lifted his head high and kept it up.

She rolled her eyes and led the way.

"Soarin'!" Spitfire called out when she was at a dressing room door of the derby, "Move your tail on out of there! We have a race to be in!"

"What's the point!" his voice muffled from inside, "You know I won't be able to win!"

"Quit with the moping, already! Look, I know she was your inspiration to fly at the speed of light, but you did the right thing when you had to move on! She is a princess, after all!"

"She was more than that! She was… amazing…" Inside the room, he was laying on his back on a sofa and held his hooves to his face.

Fleetfoot walked up to the captain, "Still not coming out?"

Spitfire nodded and pulled down her shades, "He's lost the will to fly… Without Princess Rainbow Dash, he doesn't have motivation to take wing into the sky anymore."

"Well, this should cheer the both of you up…" she knocked on the door, "Soarin'? It's Fleetfoot! I just want to let you know that I was checking out the bleachers and guess who I saw in the box?! Princess Rainbow Dash!" There was a pause and the two Wonderbolt mares didn't hear anything. Then, out of the nowhere, a blue blur zipped out of the room.

The mares were spinning around until they stopped and were dizzy.

"Well, that certainly… got him back up." said Spitfire before she passed out.

Soarin' couldn't believe it; she was here! He flew at a fast pace, but then stop in midair to see who she was with: the ever-known and elusive Prince Blueblood. No doubt he was a suitor for the princesses. Dash had told him all about growing up with Blueblood and that he was unpleasant and annoying, but why would Rainbow be hanging out with him if that was the case? Maybe she had to? If he was a suitor and Rainbow had no choice… but then, a horrible thought occurred to him: what she's here with him because she wanted to? He had to find out for sure as he flew up to the side of the box and hid from view, making a psst sound.

Blueblood gestured to Rainbow Dash, saying out of boredom, "The Wonderbolt derby is hardly what I call a sporting event."

"Oh, well, I guess if you don't like it, then I'm sure could find some other prince to marry who would like to come with me." She knew that would get under Blueblood's coat by leading him to think that it would be the best way to get married to her.

Sure enough, that sparked his interest and he pointed out, "What I meant was, that it's not to be a sporting event, but a way of life." he gave a smug grin, as if congratulating himself for saying the right thing.

She could only roll her eyes, thinking, Sheesh, he's really going all out on this just to get closer to the throne… By then, her ears perked up to hear a psst sound and turned to see Soarin's head popping up to the open window. Just the colt I wanted to see. She turned back to Blueblood and told him, "I'm going to get us some snacks before the race starts."

"Don't bother. I never need eat, ugh, commoner food…"

"If you say so." She flew down the steps while grumbling, "I swear, one more complaint and I won't act so sweet anymore…"

She found Soarin' waiting for her and they went below the stands. They stood silent for a moment until he he rubbed his neck and said.

"It's… great seeing you again…"

"Is it? Because I recall… That you broke up with me!" She yelled into his face, causing him to wince.

"Broke… broke up? But we weren't dating!"

"Yeah, well, we might as well have been! You broke my heart!" She turned away from him.

"Dash…" he reached out his hoof.

"Oh, so now it's Dash? Not Princess or Your Highness?!"

"Do-do you want me to-"

"No! I rather you call me by my name, like you always did!"

"But then why-"

"Because the last time we were talking, you said we wouldn't be able to see each other again! Well, I proved you wrong, didn't I?!"

"Not really!" he finally had the chance to yell back, "You came here with other guy! How is that seeing each other?!"

"Blueblood was an excuse for me to get out of the palace while I was…" She made air quotes with her hooves, "hanging out with him. My original plan was for me and Scootaloo to show off our jousting skills to him and then try to convince him to joust with him to see if he was made of hard stuff."

"I don't think he is, so why…?"

"For two reasons. One is to get him out of the castle so none of us becomes his bride and two. He hurt Rarity by being a… grrgh, he's got me so mad I can't even say it."

"So this is also payback… whoa… Sure am glad I stay on your good side. Uh, I am still on your good side, after what happened…?"

"I've gotten over it, but I'm still pretty ticked you would leave me like that. I suppose you've been flying hard to keep your mind off that day."

"Actually… I haven't been flying, not since I told you we shouldn't see each other again… I couldn't fly until Fleetfoot told me she saw you here, and I lifted myself off the ground just to see you…" he did a bashful blush and turned away so she wouldn't see his cheeks.

Her mouth was wide open from bafflement until she scowled and scolded at him, "Let me get this straight: you couldn't fly because of me? Of the all… Soarin'! I refuse to be held responsible for a Wonderbolt not being able to do their job of being the greatest flyers in Equestria! If you cared that much about me, then you should have say so! Or better yet, to never say those words to me about us never seeing each other again!" her face softened, "Now, you tell me that you care and I will say the same thing…"

He lifted his head in surprise, his eyes filled with hope, "You… you do?"

"Nah-ah. You won't get anything out of me until you say what you have to say."

"Alright… since you really want to know…" he smiled, "You're awesome. You're this amazing flyer that I don't think I could ever keep up to… You may be a princess, but you sure don't act like it and I don't have a problem with that… And, I'm afraid to tell you this, for fear you might give me a black eye, but here it goes…you're the most beautiful mare I've ever laid eyes on… I know that's cheesy, but that's the way I see you…" he lowered his head to avoid her gaze of how she'll react.

Suddenly, he felt his head being quickly lifted and could see his lips touching with hers. He slowly closed his eyes to the bliss. After what seemed like a while, they finally broke away and gave each other loving glances.

"Now it's my turn…" she told him while smiling, "Soarin', you're the first colt friend I have ever made… I never liked any boys until I met you… You may think you can't keep up with me, but you're wrong. You're the only guy who can keep up with me… and that's what I like about you… by the way, as cheesy as that was about me being beautiful, you're not so bad yourself…" she swished her tail on his face.

He started grinning like an idiot until he remembered why he had to let her go in the first place, "But Dash… I can't give you what a prince can… Isn't that why your mother…"

"Phooey on any princes! My sisters and I have a plan on getting rid of any suitors that come to us. And who says you can't give me what a prince can? You'll be giving me something better than princes could even hope to have!"

"You… you think so?"

"Of course you would! Listen, I need your help to finally give Blueblood the hoof."

"Name it."

She whispered the plan in his ear.

AN: The next chapter is when we get to the first love duet, afterwards there are more are to follow. Review of how this is looking.