RD POV
 
>"...Well, that's it. All done. Thanks for the help."
>Phew!
>That was actually a pretty good work out.
>The books were always in the same place, downstairs, into the foye...Yeh...Uh...Main enterance thingie, round a few corners and into the room with the tree in it.
>You had to turn a bunch to stop yourself from crashing into the walls.
>Pretty good way to work on your control.
>Speed is where it's at, but you've found lately that you've been getting a little stiff where turning is concerned.
>You probably could make a better time than what you got if you went ahead and did it agai-
>Time.
>You look at the clock.
>Crap. Good thing you did. Few minutes away 'til Anon's break.
"Uh, I can't stay around for the results, Twi. I'm gonna say that won though."
>Twilight pauses a little. Seems she was taking her papers somewhere.
>"What? Uh...OK. See you later, then."
>You can see her smile a bit as she walks off.
>...Y-you did win, right?
>Argh, you'll have to find out later.
>You take off at an angle and shoot through the window without turning.
>That was SWEET! you didn't touch the sides of the window or ANYTHING!
>Guess you're still on point from the awesome test you did with Twilight.
>Not like you're ever NOT on point.
>Should make getting to Anon even faster, anyway.
>You bet you'll even get there first.
 
>Your muscles still feel like they're on fire!
>Damn, you love the feeling of a good work out. That burning pain telling you your muscles are getting bigger?
>Can't beat it.
>You're going SO FAST right now!
>...Uh...Maybe, uh...
>Yeah, slow down a bit.
>You could see the tell tale cone-thing you know only happens when you're about to pull off a sonic rainboom.
>Not over town. You're pretty close to the ground.
>That'd be bad.
>You don't need to go that fast, anyway. You're gonna make it.
>Yup, there's Applejack's house.
>You're excited again.
>You didn't bring any stuff for horseshoe toss, or whatever.
>But you could race him.
>Hah! That's one thing he never beats you at.
>He has gotten close a few times, though. Not REAL close, but close.
>He's getting better at it, that's for sure.
>...H-he won't EVER be able to be you though. No way!
>You don't wanna even think about him winning!
>It sucks when he wins! H-he gets all stupid, and he sm-smiles a lot, a-and l-looks at y-you a-a-and...
>...Wait, what's he doing?
>Is that...A deck chair?
>H-HE'S LYING ON A FREAKIN' DECK CHAIR?!
>THAT COCKY, S-SMUG, S-s-STUpid...S-s-s...Sehhh...?
>...H-h-he isn't w-wearing a s-shir...A-a sh-sh-shuuuhh-sh-shirt.
>F-fff-fff-fff...f-f-fine. Wh-whatever.
 
ANON'S POV
>Heh. there she is.
>She took a while, and it was hot, so You went and got a deck chair from your house. And sunglasses.
>Considering that ponies walk around naked, you decided that taking your shirt off wouldn't be too big a deal.
>You also got an iced tea. Mainly because you were thirsty, but also to add to the effect.
"Oh, hey, RD. Was begining to think you wouldn't show up."
>"...Wh-whh-huh...H-how...B-b-b-but..."
>She's flushed red and breathing heavily.
>Guess she's feeling the weather too.
>Doesn't explain the stuttering, though.
>You wait until she says something that you can understand.
>"Bu-bu-buuuuuhhh...Buhuaaahhh...Whaaaaatt..."
>Sounds like it'll take a while.
>She seems pretty out of breath.
"What, did you do a few too many warm up laps or something?"
>"...S-s-stupid..."
>You laugh.
>Seems like she's caught her breath again.
>You sit up on the chair.
>She averts her eyes, occasionaly taking a glance back at you.
"Well, you're lucky. Today, we're not going to be running around too much."
>She looks at you, puzzled, looks down at your chest and turns away again.
"This bothering you?"
>You gesture to your bare upper half.
>She doesn't even look.
>"...N-n-no."
"Good. No way am I putting a shirt back on in this weather."
 
>She slowly looks over at you, and with a mixture of anger and concentration on her face, she looks you in the eye.
>"Fuh-fuh-Fine! Y-you'll need it f-for wh-when y-you b-break a sw-swuh...SUH-SWEAAAAT trying to catch up!"
>You look at her, feigning a puzzled expression.
"Whatever do you mean?"
>One of her ears begins to twitch, and doesn't stop.
>"W-we-WE'RE GOING TO RACE!"
>You throw back your head in exagerated hearty laughter.
"Oh no we won't."
>"He-HEH! Ss-sscared?"
"Actually I was thinking we should do something else."
>You finish off your iced tea.
>She looks...Interested?
>You can't tell, her expression is all over the place.
>"L-like what?"
"Well, last night got me thinking."
>You put the glass on the deck chair and walk over to her.
>She doesn't budge, and looks at you, wide eyed as you approach.
>"L-l...Last night?"
"Yep. AND I was thinking, since AJ just said I could have the day off..."
>"Y-y-y...D-day off?"
>You sigh.
>You hope she gets out of this state soon.
"Yep. The day off, so, I thought maybe we could walk around town a bit? Maybe, uh...?"
>You have to admit, after that iced tea and the feast, you're not really feeling up to eating or drinking.
"Hang out?"
>She suddenly looks really pleased.
>"R-REALLY?!"
>Her blush intensifies, and she becomes angry again.
>"U-uh...'C-cos that sounds lame!"
 
>You know her well enough to tell that she's just acting tough.
"Oh, come on, Dash, you said you liked last night. I liked it too."
>"B-but that was only because you crashed into me! It was an apology!"
>Oh, you see how it is.
>She wants to hang out, but she needs some kind of "reason" for it.
"Don't you like hanging out with me?"
>She looks conflicted.
>It takes her a while, but she makes eye contact with you again.
>"N-no...T-that's not it..."
"Well, then, what have you got to lose? Come on!"
>You pick the glass back up and fold the deck chair.
"I've got to take these back to my house, anyway."
>You head off in the direction of your house, and by extension, Ponyvile.
>She says nothing, and flies after you slowly.
>She seems a little unsure.
>Well, you know what will get her in the mood.
>Despite the extra weight, you suddenly break out into a run towards you house, leaving her behind.
>You don't hear her for a moment, and you're actually worried that the plan failed, until...
>"I-I-IDIOT!"
>Yep, she's down for it.
>She flies faster, and soon catches up.
>She doesn't treat it like a race, though, just following behind you.
>Which is good for you, as this is about as fast as you can go.
>You look like a sort of surfer. Shades on, shirt off, but instead of a surfboard under your arm, you have a deck chair.
>You feel a strange urge to yell "COWABUNGA!" at the top of your lungs, but you resist it for the sake of dignity.
 
RD POV
>You really wish he'd put his shirt back on.
>But nope, he went into his house, put away the stupid chair and came out, still with the sunglasses, still without a shirt.
>Stupid...A-Anon....
>You feel almost embarrassed walking alongside him like this.
>...Almost.
>He may be an idiot, but he's still...Y-your idiot. So you'll make an exception this time.
>Besides, this feels like a date.
>You're not going to miss out on that.
>Wait...Yeah! He asked YOU out this time!
>And the whole shirtless thing?
>Yep, he's totally hitting on you.
>There's no other explaination for it.
>Guess you'll just HAVE to enjoy it.
>You giggle against your will.
>H-he really looks rediculous.
"S-so, where are we going?"
>He puts his arms behind his head and stretches forward.
>U-unf.
>...C-come on Rainbow, put your wings away before he sees.
>"Well, are you thirsty?"
>Yeah. You're dying over here.
"N-no."
>"Eh, neither am I."
>He pauses for a second, then grins and looks at you.
>"Want me to carry you again?"
>Yes.
"Sh-shut up."
 
>So you walk around town for a while.
>...Stop looking at his chest.
>Wait...I-is he starting to sweat?
>Nononononono, look somewhere else.
>LOOK SOMEWHERE ELSE.
>STOP LOOKING!
>"So, you thirsty yet?"
>Yes, give me a tall glass of nothing but your-
"NO."
>"Oh OK."
>Stop lying, RD. Passing out ISN'T COOL.
"...M-maybe just one drink...?"
>"Heh. I knew it."
>Oh, don't pretend that you're not thirsty.
>You're thirsty, really.
>I BET YOU ARE.
>...You're really starting to lose it.
>It's a cruel combo of dehydration, your own body heat and the sun.
>You might start halucinating soon.
>He may need to carry you again.
>...Not a bad Ide-
>Pride. PRIDE!
>You're approaching a lemonade stand.
>Take me. Take me to the drink.
>TAKE. ME.
 
>CELESTIA'S TEATS THAT'S GOOD.
>You wolf down a glass of lemonade.
>It's like nectar of the gods.
"A-annother! Please!"
>You don't care about the look Anon's giving you right now.
>Or that he's paying for 7 glasses of lemonade.
>Make that 8.
>You don't care that you just said "please".
>You're just glad you're not going to die.
>You take a minute to catch your breath.
>"That's the Rainbow Dash I kno-"
"Shhhh...SHUT UP!"
>Phew. PHEW.
>OK.
>Right.
>NOW, you can care about what you just did.
"You...Don't you tell ANYPONY about this."
>Anon just grins.
"DON'T. EVEN."
>And, he's laughing now.
>Damnit.
"Th-this isn't funny!"
>"Y-yes. Yes it is."
>You've never wanted to kiss somepony to death before.
>...Y-you're not going to, though.
 
>"Well."
"...W-w-well, WHAT?!"
>"I'd say that was worth a weeks wages."
>He sticks his tounge out at you.
>You'd return the gesture, but you're afraid it might not go back in.
>Today was, hands down, the most embarrassing day of your life.
>You hope none of your friends saw that.
>"Pinkie seemed pretty peppy today."
"Well, when isn't sh...Wait, why are we talking about Pinkie?"
>"Don't you renember? She was running the lemonade stand. It was like some kind of Sugar Cube Corner thing."
>SHE WAS NOT.
>...Damnit. She was.
>This can't get any worse.
>"Oh, hey you two!"
>Oh. It's Rari-
>OH. IT'S RARITY.
>NO.
>"Oh, hey Rarity."
>"Hi, Anonymous."
>Did she just wink at him?
>She totaly just looked at his chest.
>No, you're just seeing things.
>But what if you're not.
 
"S-so, Rarity? Why are you here?"
>You say it with gritted teeth in hope she catches your spite.
>She looks round at you.
>The clouds in your head are clearing.
>She's wearing a pair of stylish sunglasses and a pink frilled saddle with matching parasol. Of course.
>"Oh, hi, Rainbow dash!"
>She looks back and forwards between you and Anon for a while.
>She then gets it, and blushes.
>"O-oh! I'm, I...Rainbow, I am awfuly sorry."
"...You'd better be..."
>Maybe you said it a bit too quietly.
>"It was a nice day out, so I decided I'd go outside and show off one of my custom solsaddles.
>She poses, displaying it.
>"What do you think? I chose pink, as, well, it's summer, and..."
>She catches the glare you're giving her.
>"Anyway~, I left a note on the door for you, Rainbow, just in case you, ah..."
>She clears her throat.
>"Decided to visit. But it looks like we both had other plans, so..."
"RARITY."
>"Ah, uhm...Oh! Yes, there was something important I needed to tell you about, Rainbow. Before I go."
>Using her magic, she reaches into one of the bags on her "solsaddle" and pulls out...Two tickets.
"What are those?"
>"Well, I recived a letter containing mine ticket and also a letter for you, containing yours. Funny how they got...Mixed up in the..."
"..."
>"...It's the Grand Galloping Gala."
 
>Really, did she just interupt your date with Anon for THAT?
"Listen, Rarity. That's great and all, bu-"
>...Oh.
>...Rarity is looking over at you.
>She winks.
>She...Can't be thinking about...
>"As much as I'd...R-really like to go..."
>She is.
>"Here, Anonymous. Take my ticket. I...I have business back at the boutique I need to attend to that...That prevents...me from going."
>"Uh, Wow. Thanks, Rarity, I don't know what to say."
>There's a pause for a moment, as he expects Rarity to say something.
>She eventually speaks.
>"...It's...Nothing at all, Anonymous. I, I really need to go, now."
>"Uh, OK, uh...See ya..."
>She was already walking away by the time Anon had finished talking.
>"H-here's your ticket."
>She presents your ticket to you, and you take it, reluctantly.
>She casts you a solomn glance, gives a weak smile and walks away.
>...Wow. Rarity, just...Gave up her place at the Gala so you could spend it with Anon.
>"Hey! That means we can go together, right? To the, uh, Gala thing?"
>You just look at him, and nod. Mouth closed.
>Speechless. Nothing to say at all. Your mind is blank.
>But...Slowly, excitement radiates from your very core.
>You don't know exactly what you're going to do at the Gala.
>But you'll bet Rarity will be able to tell you.